The Malfoy Legacy
by Hecate's Diamon
Summary: Twenty five years after the disastrous events of the last Triwizard Tournament the Wizarding world has recovered and is attempting it again, this time at Durmstrang. Raelyn Malfoy has been chosen as a candidate, but will her family let her go?  *Next Gen*
1. Prologue Part I

**Author's Foreword **Before you get all confused and send me reviews being like "this isn't what the summary said" I just want to clarify that there is a three part prologue that takes place in their first year, just to explain how they met and what not. Then the real story starts. You can skip it if you want, it's not vital :)

Also, this is a rewrite of sorts so the prologue may sound familiar. I started posting this story going through their first year and everything, but I was running out of things to do that were PG so I took down the story and have been working on writing it for older teens/adults.

I hope you enjoy it and reviews are always welcome, from members or non-members. I always reply to reviews, even if it's just a "thanks". So review, review, review! Thanks!

P.S. Title suggestions are VERY welcome!

**Disclaimer** If you recognize it I don't own it. This disclaimer is going to count for the _whole story_ so don't sue me if you don't see it in later chapters. Thank you!

**Prologue Part I  
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Gray sunlight filtered in through the curtained windows of her bedroom. She lay in bed, motionless, eyes out of focus, staring out into space. The loud _crack_ of an Apparating house elf didn't even startle her. She was accustomed to it. She listened as it shuffled closer and closer to her. Eventually, its orb-like eyes obscured her line of sight. It was Hena.

"Oh! Miss is already awake!" she squeaked. "Miss' father sent Hena to wake Miss, but Miss is already awake. Miss' father says for Hena to tell Miss it is nine o'clock and to come down for breakfast once Miss is presentable."

Raelyn mustered a sleepy smile and thanked Hena softly. The elf bowed respectfully, long nose brushing the pristine hardwood floor, and then Disapparated with a second loud _crack_ from the spacious bedroom.

With a deep breath Raelyn heaved herself into a sitting position and swung her feet to the cool floor. A chill from the contact sent goosebumps shooting up Raelyn's legs and back down her arms. She savoured it as she crossed to the windows. The curtains were heavy as she opened them, allowing sunlight to spill into her room, covering everything with a warm golden glow. Next, she threw open her balcony doors and a gentle breeze blew in, nipping at her ankles as she entered the bathroom.

She bathed in the large bathtub in the middle of the white marble room and then proceeded to brush her teeth at the sink. The mirror covering the wall behind the counter reflected her image back at her.

Straight, platinum blond hair fell to the middle of her back, some shorter locks falling perfectly around her face. Cool, steal gray eyes looked out from pale, porcelain skin. High cheekbones and red lips accentuated her appearance. There was no doubt about who her father was. Anyone who looked at her knew immediately. At the age of eleven she'd heard enough comments about their likeness to last a lifetime.

She dressed and went to breakfast, her new kitten preceding her all the way to the dining room, where her grandmother scooped the kitten up and placed her contentedly in her lap. Raelyn watched, amused, as she basked in the attention the woman was doting upon her.

"Have you given her a name yet?" she asked Raelyn curiously. Raelyn shook her head and her grandmother chuckled, watching Raelyn walk the length of the table to her customary seat next to her grandfather. The taller man looked down at her with a tired smile. She'd always known him to be tired, as though his life had worn him down.

"Just like your father, Raelyn," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"So, Raelyn," her father began. He was a tall, muscular six feet, two inches with the same blond hair and gray eyes as his daughter. "Excited about beginning your first year?"

"Yeah, Rae," interrupted Carson, her older brother. Her was going into his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "Exctied about being an ickle first year?" he teased.

"Carson, stop it," their mother scolded. "You haven't stopped antagonizing your sister since you got home."

"I was just having a bit of fun," Carson mumbled under his breath.

"Excuse me?" their mother asked dangerously.

As luck would have it, Carson had drawn all their mother's looks from the gene pool. Brownish-blond hair, honey brown eyes, soft features, lightly tanned skin. However, he _had_ inherited their father's height. At fourteen years old, he was an impressive five feet, six inches tall.

Raelyn glared at her brother while she said kindly, "Thank you mum." She saw her mother smile out of the corner of her eye.

"Why do you always take her side?" Carson complained.

"I don't always take her side," their mother retorted mildly. While her mother and brother argued she returned her attention to her father and smiled.

"So, do you think you'll be joining Carson in Gryffindor?" he asked conversationally.

Raelyn made a disgusted noise. "Merlin, I hope not," she said while rolling her eyes. Her father looked slightly amused.

"Why not?" he questioned. "There's nothing wrong with Gryffindor."

"That may be so," Raelyn agreed, "But there is _most definitely_ something wrong with Carson."

Her father chuckled and cast an amused glance at his only son, who was currently ranting about how the "Niffler incident" wasn't his fault. Raelyn hadn't a clue what he was talking about, and from the looks of it, neither did their mother.

"Think about it dad," Raelyn drawled sarcastically. "The future of our family, right there, ranting about Nifflers." She managed to keep a straight face and took a bite of her bacon while her father fought for control of his laughter.

Once breakfast was over Carson's and Raelyn's Hogwarts trunks were loaded into their father's Jaguar and Carson's owl and Raelyn's kitten were loaded into their respective carriers. As the Jaguar rolled down the driveway and through the wrought iron gates Narcissa and Lucius saw them off, waving, from the expansive porch of Malfoy Manor.

**Author's Note** In the original version of this story, I never intended to include Lucius, seeing as how he was so horrible in the books and most stories portray him as this super-villain. However, I've literally _just_ finished reading The Deathly Hallows for the second time and both Lucius' and Narcissa's only concern at the end is for the safety of their son, so that is why Lucius is in this story and is not a horrible person.


	2. Prologue Part II

**Last Chapter **Once breakfast was over Carson's and Raelyn's Hogwarts trunks were loaded into their father's Jaguar and Carson's owl and Raelyn's kitten were loaded into their respective carriers. As the Jaguar rolled down the driveway and through the wrought iron gates Narcissa waved them off from the porch of Malfoy Manor.

**Prologue Part II  
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The ride to King's Cross Station was really only an hour long, though it felt like longer due to Carson's singing and tendency to fidget and jump around in confined spaces. Hermione watched him in her mirror. She suspected he may have ADHD, a Muggle disease.

The station was busy, as it was every year, when they arrived, though they managed to get trolleys and made their way to the spot between Platforms 9 and 10 without any trouble. They slipped through the magical barrier onto Platform 9 ¾ and into the chaos that was the magical world. Raelyn spotted a massive, scarlet steam engine above the heads of the witches and wizards around her and smiled. _Hogwarts Express_ was painted across the engine's side in swirling gold letters. She'd seen it before, but never was she permitted to step aboard it. This year she had no choice. Excitement welled up in her chest and Carson startled her when he bent down and whispered softly, "You know trolls patrol the corridors to make sure everyone behaves, right?" Raelyn snorted and gave her grinning brother a knowing look.

"Come on, lets find Harry and Ron," Hermione urged them and they were swept into the crowd of people cluttering the platform. Raelyn thought she heard her father sigh, though she didn't know why.

Since both Draco and Hermione were only children, Harry's and Ron's families were the closest things Raelyn and Carson had to cousins and uncles and aunts. The two men were easier to find than Raelyn would have expected. Harry and Ginny's two children were older than Raelyn. Adrianna was going into her fourth year with Carson,and her younger sister Lily was entering her second year. Ron and Luna's children were also older. Ryan was going into his third year, and Brock was going into his second. Raelyn was the last of her 'family' to be entering Hogwarts.

The Hogwarts Express sounded a shrill whistle, signaling the last call for Hogwarts students to board. The train would leave in five minutes. Raelyn suddenly realized the platform was emtying rapidly, leaving behind teary eyed mothers and smiling fathers. Draco and Hermione were no different.

Draco grinned as he turned to Raelyn. "Well good luck at Hogwarts, sweetie," he said, pulling her into a tight hug. He held her for a long moment before finally releasing her and looking down at her. "You'll have to let us know if you want to come home for Christmas."

Raelyn nodded and smiled.

Hermione grabbed Raelyn next, smothering her in an even tighter hug than her father. When Draco finally managed to pry his wife off his only daughter Raelyn saw tears in her mother's eyes. "We'll see you later and we love you. You'll have to write and tell us which house you got sorted into and it doesn't matter which house you get sorted into because we still love you. Write if you need or want anything. Carson will let you borrow his owl, right, Carson?"

"Huh?" Carson asked stupidly. At Hermione's hard glare he nodded vigorously. "Yeah, of course!"

"And-"

Hermione was cut short by Draco's laugh. "You're going to make her miss the train, love," he told her gently. He looked at Raelyn, who was slightly amused by her mother's ramblings. "Good luck and we love you, sweetie," Draco told her and turned to Carson. "Get her trunk for her?" She heard her brother grumble, though he lifted her trunk all the same and grabbed her by the neck of her robes, dragging her towards the train. She waved weakly at her parents before turning around and wrenching herself from Carson's grasp.

"I can walk on my own," she told him indignantly. Carson simply glared at her and swept her onto the train before himself. They searched for an empty compartment and finally came to one at the end of the train. Well, it was _almost_ empty. A single boy inhabited it. Carson, none the less, threw the door open and traipsed in. The boy barely looked up. When Carson had settled Raelyn's trunk on the rack above their heads he glanced down at the boy.

"You're Adam Daryll's brother aren't you?" he asked him bluntly. The boy looked up at Carson uninterestedly and nodded. He had black hair that fell to just past his earlobes and obscured part of his face. His skin was tanned from the summer sun and he had dark brown eyes.

"You look just like him," Carson told him before leaving Raelyn alone with the strange boy.

"Yeah, Carson, don't worry, I'll be fine," Raelyn called spitefully after her brother as he strolled down the narrow hall way. She turned to the only other occupant of the compartment. He was watching her interestedly. Raelyn huffed and sat down, staring out the window and trying to ignore the burning feeling of being watched.

"What?" Raelyn snapped after a few more minutes of being observed.

"You're a Malfoy," he said matter-of-factly.

"And you're a Daryll, do I bug you about _your_ parentage?" Raelyn snapped back. To her surprise, the boy smiled.

"No, I mean, you look _exactly_ like a Malfoy," was his explanation.

"So?" Raelyn asked. "Your point is..."

"No point, just an observation," he answered, shrugging. Raelyn glared at him and then stared out the window at the rapidly passing countryside. There was silence for a moment before the boy started talking again.

"The Malfoy's are pure bloods, aren't they?" he asked.

Raelyn sighed. What did it matter? "What's your name?" she asked, deciding to change the subject.

The boy looked confused for a second, but recovered quickly and answered coolly, "Seth Daryll. Yours?"

"Oh, how kind of you to ask," Realyn said sarcastically. "I'm Raelyn Malfoy, as you already pointed out."

Seth smiled slowly, dark eyes watching her as he leaned forward in his seat. "Look, I know you're a spoiled brat, but that doesn't mean you have to act like one."

Raelyn sputtered, her tongue seemingly disabled. That was the last thing she would have expected to hear coming from his mouth. "I am not!" she exclaimed as soon as she had regained control of her mouth. Seth's smile widened into a wicked grin.

"Then maybe you should start acting a little more like a human being and a little less like a vicious bitch," he said flatly, sitting back in his seat. Raelyn couldn't believe this boy!

"What did I ever do to you?" Raelyn asked slowly, having nothing better to say. She knew it was a stupid question.

"You were rude," he told her firmly. "Maybe if you acted civilly towards me, I'd act civilly towards you."

Raelyn opened her mouth to protest but realized that he was right. She would never admit it though. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "First year?"

Seth nodded. "You?"

"First year," she repeated while nodding her head.

"So do you have any siblings other than that delightful boy who so ingeniously pointed out I'm Adam's brother?" he asked, smiling.

Raelyn smiled slightly too. "No, just him. His names Carson."

"He doesn't look like you," remembered Seth.

Raelyn grinned and nodded. "That's because I don't look like my mother."

"I take it your brother does?"

Raelyn nodded.

"Whose your mother?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Granger? She's not a pure blood, though."

Raelyn turned to gaze mildly at Seth. He looked confused. "No," Raelyn agreed, "She's not." The way she said it dared him to argue with her or say one word against her mother. Seth got the message and kept his mouth shut on the subject. Instead, he changed the conversation to Quidditch.

"So your brother plays on the Gryffindor Quidditch team," he said.

"Mmhmm, he's pretty good, too. I can't play, though, to save my life," she admitted ruefully.

Seth chuckled. "Fair enough."

The conversation was pleasant and even entertaining for the whole trip to Hogwarts. A Prefect slid the door open at one point to tell them they'd better change into their robes because they'd be arriving at Hogwarts soon. Sure enough, about half an hour later, Raelyn and Seth felt the train's wheels squeal in protest as they ground to a halt.

"We're slowing down!" she exclaimed and flung herself at the window. A handful of lamp posts illuminated the dark empty platform and cozy village beyond. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Seth materialize beside her, cheek pressed against the window. Together, they watched the Hogwarts Express grind to a stop and the platform freeze in place. Compartment doors began to slam open and excited voices filled the halls outside their compartment door. Calmly, the two walked over to the door, swung it open, and joined the mulling crowd of black clad Hogwarts students, leaving their luggage on the train as the Prefect had directed them.

They dropped down onto the cool Platform in the midst of other students and were immediately greeted by a booming voice calling, "Firs' years this way!" Several heads snapped in the direction the voice was coming from. The voice sounded male. Raelyn only saw a great, hulking figure with a lantern hanging off of it. The voice seemed to be coming from it.

"Firs' years this way!" he yelled again. Yep, the voice definitely belonged to the hulking figure carrying the lantern. She and Seth cautiously made their way towards him. Once they crept closer, the figure's face became discernable in the light being cast from the lantern swinging from one massive hand. It was indeed a man, though a very, very tall one. His eyes were an inviting beetle black and his beard and hair were long, thick, brown, and curly. He wore a moleskin coat bearing several pockets and he carried a pink umbrella in his other hand. This was the most out-of-place man Raelyn had ever seen, and that included several of her father's peculiar associates.

A large group of first years had gathered around the man by that time, though they allowed him a wide berth. The older students were boarding several horseless carriages, which immediately took off once the door was closed. The man was seemingly satisfied with his gaggle of students because he began to talk in his deep, booming voice, disrupting any conversation going on below him.

"'Ello, I'm Hagrid, your games keeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor. Now, if you'll follow me, we'll head on up t' th' castle." He turned abruptly and led the way to a fleet of small boats docked at the edge of a glassy, black lake. The water lapped at Raelyn's shod feet as she stood on it's edge, gazing out at the glassy surface of the lake, undisturbed in the centre.

"Four t' a boat," Hagrid commanded loftily as he got into a boat by himself. "An' someone hold th' light 'less you wan' the Giant Squid t' get it." A confused murmur broke out amongst the first years as they quickly loaded the boats. Raelyn found herself in a boat with Seth and two other boys. She didn't have much time to contemplate the situation before the boats smoothly set sail across the lake, Hagrid's boat in the lead. Raelyn got the impression that the sail across the lake was meant to inspire awe in the new students for a few reasons.

The lake was awe-inspiring on its own. It's surface barely rippling as the boats cut across it smoothly, almost like it was liquid glass. The concept of the Giant Squid residing just beneath the surface made them apprehensive, but excited at the same time as adrenaline pumped through their veins. The night's sky was clear, every star visible on the black canvas, the moon, a round silver orb in the sky. Lastly, was the castle. It rose up before them huge and magnificent. An impenetrable fortress. Its towers spiraled into the sky, dark and mysterious. A few windows glowed yellow, their reflections flawless on the lake's surface. The portcullis to the boat house began to rise noisily in front of them with the rattling of chains and the heavy wooden doors swung inwards to admit them, only creating a minimal disturbance in the black water. Torches illuminated the waterway as they went, a new torch springing to life as Hagrid's boat reached it, an old one dying as the last boat passed it.

Finally the boats docked themselves, wrapping ropes around pegs on the weathered wooden platform they bumped into.

"Out o' th' boats!" Hagrid called and stumbled ashore. Raelyn and the other first years followed suit. Hagrid led them through a wide corridor and into the school's brightly lit entrance hall. It was deserted save for one man, and he was frightening.

"Up the' stairs t' him," Hagrid told them while he made his way to the massive front doors. The students slowly ascended the great white marble staircase and stopped before the man. He was black, with a shaved head and gold hoops in both ears. Gold rings adorned his fingers as well and his black robe was laced with traces of gold thread. He stood straight with an air of command, though that was not what unnerved Raelyn; it was his eyes. They were gold irises, with slits for pupils, like a cat's. They glittered with knowledge and something thing else Raelyn couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Half vampire," Raelyn heard someone whisper to their friend.

The steady murmur of conversation died at his one word, "Quiet." His voice was a low, rumbling growl. His eyes swept the faces of the students standing in front of him before he spoke again.

"I am your Deputy Headmaster, Professor Votyric. I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and have a tendency to creep up on people without them knowing, so be aware of what you say when you think no one is listening. I am intolerant of bad behavior, tardiness, inappropriate language, and any other misdemeanors a student may commit. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor," the first years muttered shyly. He intimidated them all. Raelyn found shivers coursing down her spine and resisted the urge to shake them off.

"Very good," he growled, "Now follow me." He turned on his heel with a swish of his cloak and set off at a brisk walk. He led them into a small side chamber and then through another door leading into the great hall.

Four long tables occupied the spacious room, the older students sitting on benches to either side of them. A banner hung over each table. The table closest to Raelyn was under a green and silver banner adorned with a snake twisted into an 'S'. The next banner over was blue and bronze with a raven on it, a bronze 'R' adorning its surface. They stopped at the front of the room, before the professor's table on a high platform, and in the middle of the four house tables. Raelyn looked to her right and saw a yellow banner with an 'H' and a badger on it. What kind of mascot is a badger? She asked herself. The next banner she recognized; it was Carson's house. A lion on a red and gold background represented the noble house of Gryffindor.

Votyric climbed the steps to stand beside a three legged stool supporting a tattered hat. Raelyn's brow furrowed in contemplation. Shock was the only word to describe what she felt when a rip in the hat opened up and it began to belt out a song.

" Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
>But don't judge on what you see,<br>I'll eat myself if you can find  
>A smarter hat than me.<br>You can keep your bowlers black,  
>Your top hats sleek and tall,<br>For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
>And I can cap them all.<br>There's nothing hidden in your head  
>The Sorting Hat can't see,<br>So try me on and I will tell you  
>Where you ought to be.<br>You might belong in Gryffindor,  
>Where dwell the brave at heart,<br>Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
>Set Gryffindor apart;<br>You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
>Where they are just and loyal,<br>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
>And unafraid of toil;<br>Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
>If you've a ready mind,<br>Where those of wit and learning,  
>Will always find their kind;<br>Or perhaps in Slytherin  
>You'll make your real friends,<br>Those cunning folk use any means  
>To achieve their ends.<br>So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
>And don't get in a flap!<br>You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
>For I'm a Thinking Cap! "<p>

The great hall erupted in applause and the hat bent in it's centre as a bow of sorts.

"When I call your name," Votyric growled, "You'll sit on the stool, I'll place the hat on your head, and you'll be sorted into one of the four houses. Slytherin-"

A loud cheer erupted from the snake table.

"Ravenclaw-"

A cheer from the raven table.

"Hufflepuff-"

A cheer from the badger table, though it was quieter than the other two.

"Or Gryffindor-"

The loudest cheer yet rose from her brother's table as some of the students banged on the table with closed fists and stomped their feet. Votyric seemed unaffected.

"Almonde, Douglass," he called. A small boy crept onto the platform, trying to be invisible. Hufflepuff. Raelyn told herself as soon as she saw the boy. The hat was dropped onto his head and it fell over his eyes.

"Hufflepuff!" it cried without a second of hesitation. Raelyn smirked as the boy nearly ran, face beat red, to join his table. Seth and Raelyn made a game of guessing which house the students called would be sorted into until they and three others were the only ones left. Then the nervousness hit Raelyn like a ton of bricks and she gulped.

"Malfoy, Raelyn," Votyric called. She looked at Seth and he smiled reassuringly. She smiled back and climbed the steps proudly. She may be nervous but she wasn't going to let the whole school know it. She felt the hat drop onto her head and cover her eyes. The voice startled her. She hadn't expected the hat to talk!

"A Malfoy, hmm?" it said slyly. "But there's some Granger in you too! Your brother is doing well in Gryffindor, maybe you belong there too, hmm?"

Raelyn said nothing. Gryffindor wouldn't be bad, but Carson was already there; Gryffindor was already his house.

The hat continued its contemplation. "Don't want to be in your brother's house? A bit of jealously maybe?"

No! Thought Raelyn quickly.

"Oh, you're a fast one," the hat said. "Very cunning. There's the Malfoy in you. Where to put you... I know-"


	3. Prologue Part III

**Last Chapter** "A Malfoy, hmm?" it said slyly. "But there's some Granger in you too! Your brother is doing well in Gryffindor, maybe you belong there too, hmm?"

Raelyn said nothing. Gryffindor wouldn't be bad, but Carson was already there; Gryffindor was already his house.

The hat continued its contemplation. "Don't want to be in your brother's house? A bit of jealously maybe?"

No! Thought Raelyn quickly.

"Oh, you're a fast one," the hat said. "Very cunning. There's the Malfoy in you. Where to put you... I know-"

**Prologue Part III  
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"-Slytherin!" The roar of applause emitting from the Slytherin table was deafening. As the hat was removed from her head, Raelyn didn't know whether to be excited or crest fallen. Her head snapped toward the scarlet table and caught the look on her brother's face. It was one of utter shock. She tore her eyes away from Carson and looked towards her new house mates, cheering and smiling. She joined them at their table and smiled. The noise died down and Votyric called the next name. Every last first year was sorted until only Seth was left, looking small and alone. Raelyn felt sorry for him.

"Daryll, Seth," said Votyric finally. Raelyn crossed her fingers without realizing it, wishing he'd be in her house.

Seth ascended the steps and sat on the stool. No emotions were visible on his face as the Sorting Hat was dropped onto his head. The second it took for the Hat to decide felt like an eternity to Raelyn.

"Slytherin!" it bellowed and Seth rose, smiling, as he made his way across the great hall's length and sat beside Raelyn.

"Thank god you're in this house," Raelyn whispered to him, so that only he could hear. "Now at least I know someone."

"I won't be in your dorm, though," Seth reminded her and then grinned slyly. "Unless of course you're hiding something under those robes."

Raelyn nearly choked on her own saliva as Seth looked at her speculatively. "Seth you-"

"Blah blah blah," interrupted Seth. "I was joking, don't take it seriously. And you call yourself a Malfoy."

Raelyn opened her mouth to defend herself before seeing the joking glint in his eye.

The woman sitting in the throne-like chair in the centre of the high table rose. The hall fell silent. She was of average height with a large pointed witch's hat, long navy robes, and square framed glasses.

"Good evening students." She addressed them as a whole. "To our older students, welcome back; to our new ones, welcome. As many of you know, I am Professor McGonagall, your Headmistress. Before the feast begins I would just like to announce the rules. First of all, the Forbidden Forest on the edge of our grounds is _off limits_ too _all_ students. Fanged Frisbees, Extendible Ears, and several other Zonko's and Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes products are outlawed. You can find a full list in Mr. Filch's office. Professor Votyric has covered most everything else so let the feast begin!"

The gold platers, glass jugs, and ceramic bowls lining the four house tables immediately filled with food of all sorts and excited murmurs broke out all over the hall. The older students, however, seemed unaware that most dishes did not do that, and simply began to load their plates.

The feast was delicious! Everything cooked to perfection and then the desserts appeared, which were even tastier. Eventually the plates cleared themselves and McGongall rose once more.

"Now I know many of you are exhausted from your traveling today, so I'll send you to bed now. Remember, classes start tomorrow! You'll receive your time tables at breakfast tomorrow morning. Goodnight!" That seemed to be the Prefects' cue to rise and begin summoning the first years to them. Seth and Raelyn followed the eight other Slytherin first years towards the two Slytherin Prefects, a boy and a girl. The two led the first years out of the Great Hall, down a steep flight of stairs, and through a heavy wooden door into what Raelyn assumed was the dungeons. They were darker and cooler than the rest of the castle, but Raelyn liked them. She'd always liked the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. Her father had even had a couple renovated for her to enjoy, though he'd forbidden her to venture into some wings of the lower levels for reason unknown. They came to a halt in front of a statue of a man. A snake twined around the back of his neck and down his arms.

"_Coluber lingua_," the male Prefect intoned clearly. Before their eyes, the statue began to move. The snake hissed and the man smirked, stepping aside and waving the students into the hole in the wall he'd been concealing. Raelyn looked up at him as she passed and his stone eyes stared back at her.

"Beware, little girl," his grinding voice rasped. Raelyn jumped and followed Seth right on through the hole and into the dimly lit corridor. Torches illuminated the walls and pathway. They walked for about thirty second before Raelyn saw a brighter light. The source was a spacious common room with a low ceiling.

"Where are we?" One girl asked wonderingly.

A passing boy answered simply, "Under the lake."

Contrary to popular belief, the common room was warm, a fire crackling merrily in the hearth. Comfortable looking green or gray couches and armchairs were scattered about the room, as well as several dark wood tables and green and silver rugs. The prefects turned to face the first years with smiles on their faces. The boy began.

"Welcome to the Slytherin common room. The girls dormitories are to your right, down that stair case and the boys are the same on your left. Curfew for first years is nine thirty. By then you must be in the common room, unless you have a death wish. Being caught wandering the castle after curfew can result in the loss of house points and/or privileges, as well as the possibility of detention."

"Bathrooms are right behind us here," the girl continued thrusting a thumb over her shoulder. Raelyn read _Boys Lavatory_ and _Girls Lavatory_ on brass plaques fixed on the two dark wood doors behind the Prefects. "They were put in about ten years ago because too often were the authorities of Hogwarts hearing 'I was going to the bathroom' as an excuse to be out of the bed after hours. You'll find your trunks and pets in your dormitories. Owls have already been settled in the owlrey, their cages, however, will be in your dormitory. Any questions?" At the continued silence from the group of first years, the girl smiled and said cheerily, "Well, then, goodnight!"

The two Prefects turned away from them then and made their ways towards their friends. Several Slytherins were still up, chatting on the couches or leaning on a wall or table. A steady flow of students were still entering the common room. Though Raelyn debated staying up, fatigue took her over and she bid Seth goodnight and allowed her feet to take her to the right hand staircase.

She shuffled down the steps and turned left, looking for a door marked _First Years. _Finally she came upon it, it was already open there were girls inside, chatting and interacting animatedly.

I am in hell, Raelyn thought to herself. She pushed the door open and stood in the doorway. Conversation stopped as the girls turned to her. One of them stood and walked slowly towards Raelyn. She recognized the girl as the one who was awestruck in the common room. She was pretty, to be sure. With coal black hair the same length as Raelyn's and piercing, crystal blue eyes. She would automatically catch the eye of anyone in the room.

"You're Draco Malfoy's daughter, aren't you?" she asked slowly. Raelyn's head began to pound.

"Yes," Raelyn replied tiredly.

"Our parents went to school together," the girl said just as cautiously, as if she expected Raelyn to yell at her.

"Who're your parents?" Raelyn asked her. She knew many of her parents' friends. Perhaps she knew this girl's parents.

"My mother, Pansy Parkinson, was in Slytherin with your father," the girl answered softly. The name rung no bells for Raelyn, but she made a mental note to mention it in her letter to her parents the following day. At the moment, she just wanted to sleep.

"What's your name?" Raelyn asked her.

"Segan Kallaur," she said.

Raelyn nodded, fiening understanding, as she spotted her trunk and cat at the foot of the bed furthest to her right. She let her kitten out of the carrier and then got into bed, fully clothed.

"Goodnight, Segan," Raelyn said and pulled the covers over her head with an air of finality.

The next morning Raelyn awoke slowly. She was the last one up, as the other four girls scurried around the room, speaking softly and dressing quickly. A feeling of giddiness hung heavily in the room. Raelyn sat up abruptly, dislodging the kitten from its former resting place on her stomach. It meowed pitifully and sprawled itself out in the warm space left by Raelyn's body.

"Oh, you're up," Segan observed quietly, catching sight of Raelyn.

Raelyn groaned and dragged her hand over her face. Then she realized that what Seth had said on the train was true - she was acting like a spoiled bitch!

"Um," Raelyn began awkwardly. Segan turned back to Raelyn from where she'd formerly been staring into a mirror on one of the two vanities placed against the reverse wall. "Sorry for being so rude last night. I... There was no excuse for my actions." Even if the Malfoy blood ran thickly in her veins, so did Hermione's, and her mother had drilled etiquette into her children's heads.

Segan smiled and shook her head. "Its alright. You were tired. Everyone was. Have you met the rest of our dorm mates?" Raelyn shook her head regretfully.

I was too busy being a bitch to bother, she thought to herself disgustedly.

"This is Karlee Vaisey, Brite Warrington, and Renilda Flint," Segan named each girl in turn. Karlee and Renilda looked at her with looks of envy, but tried to mask them with welcoming smiles. Raelyn saw right through them. Brite, however, appeared to be nervous. Raelyn raised an eyebrow at her. Everyone had moments when they were nervous, but not many pure bloods, or almost pure bloods like Raelyn, would show it.

"Hey," Raelyn said groggily and stumbled out of bed.

"Aww! What's your kitten's name?" Segan exclaimed and swooped down on her.

"She doesn't have a name," Raelyn replied simply. She shuffled things around in her trunk, extracting several random parts of the school uniform. Eventually she had collected a full set and looked thoughtfully at Segan and the kitten in her lap.

"Got any suggestions?" Raelyn asked abruptly.

Segan looked up at her and asked confusedly, "Excuse me?"

"The kitten, any name suggestions?" Raelyn clarified as she began to change. Segan looked back down at the tiny black kitten sitting in her lap.

"Midnight?" she asked.

'C'mon! You can do better than that!" Raelyn joked, chuckling softly. Midnight was too common.

"Shadow?"

"Better than that."

"Twilight?"

"That's almost the same as Midnight."

"Blackie?"

"Can we try to think of something that _isn't_ such a common cat name?"

"Um... Eres?"

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure, but I heard it somewhere."

Raelyn looked skeptically at Segan. "Will it get me in trouble?"

"I don't think so..."

"Good, I like it," Raelyn said and then grinned. "Congratulations, you named my cat."

Segan laughed and nodded. "Thank you."

"Well, I guess we'd better be getting to breakfast," Raelyn said, realizing they were the last ones left in the dormitory. Segan nodded and looked around the room for what to do with Eres.

"Just leave the cat on the bed. She'll be fine," said Raelyn simply. Segan did so and followed Raelyn out and into the hall. Up the steps and into the low-ceilinged common room, Raelyn spotted Seth. He was standing casually leaning against the wall talking to an older boy who Raelyn assumed to be Adam Daryll, his brother, since they looked so much alike. Raelyn walked slowly towards him. The other boy saw her first and broke off his speech. At that point Seth turned his head and smiled at Raelyn. She smiled back while the other boy said something quietly to Seth and then left.

"Who was that?" Raelyn asked curiously as soon as she was within ear shot of Seth.

"My brother," Seth said rolling his eyes.

"I thought so, what did he want?"

"Oh, he was just being an ass as usual."

Raelyn gave him a quizzical look.

Seth sighed, "Adam was delivering my father's message. Somehow he already knows that I know you and Adam says he encourages me to stay close to you. As close as I can get. He says the Malfoys are a powerful family and they would be invaluable contacts." Seth rolled his eyes again.

"But I'm not completely pure-blooded and you are," Raelyn pointed out.

"Well apparently there's been such a long line of pure-blood marriages in the Malfoy family that your mother's blood is pretty much canceled out by your father's. The Malfoy's are the oldest pure blooded family in the world." Seth finished and sighed. "Let's get to breakfast."

Raelyn agreed silently and followed Seth down the dark tunnel and through the doorway to begin their first day at Hogwarts.

Raelyn's first couple months at Hogwarts revealed her brilliant mind, much like those of her parents, though she greatly disliked History of Magic, which was by far the least desired subject by the Hogwarts student population. It was taught by an old ghost with a raspy voice named Professor Binns. Potions was one of Raelyn's favourite subjects, partly because the Potions Mistress was kind-hearted and courteous, even to the school-wide hated Slytherins. Her names was Professor Astair and she was young and pretty, with golden blond hair and blue eyes.

Raelyn's news of being sorted into Slytherin was welcomed by both her parents, though her father was extremely enthusiastic. Carson wasn't so happy, though. He was outraged about the fact that he had a Slyhterin sister. The fact that Raelyn had a Gryffindor brother, didn't make her much happier, though.

Seth and Raelyn became close friends, the wishes of his father forgotten, and by December they were rarely seen without the other. Raelyn also began to spend more time with Segan. Seth, however couldn't stand her, nor could Segan tolerate him. So Seth did what any rational person would do: he found a friend in one of his dorm mates – Macon Destry. He was tall for his age, with a lanky frame, dark blond hair, cloudy green eyes and a slow smile. He was quiet and rarely spoke unless addressed. He was a thinker, not a speaker, and unlike Seth, he got along perfectly with Segan.


	4. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A curvy girl of five feet, five inches was the first to step out of the seemingly horseless carriage. Her coal black hair was pulled into a loose knot at the back of her head, teasing tendrils of black tickling her neck and framing her flawless face. She had piercing, crystal blue eyes, perfectly shaped, full red lips, straight white teeth, high cheek bones, a complexion unmarred by blemishes or scars of any sort. She walked seductively without meaning to, her hips swaying unintentionally, tauntingly. More than one set of male eyes followed her procession to the heavy doors of the school.

She was followed by a boy. He was tall, at least six feet, two inches, but slim and lanky. It suited him, however. His lips were pink, pierced with a Muggle lip ring. He had a strong jaw and chin, a long straight nose, his eyebrow pierced with a Muggle stud. His almost-clear green eyes peeked out from below his dark blond fringe. His hair brushed his earlobes at its longest, messy as if he'd just rolled out of bed. He was what one called a quiet gentleman. Other boys, and even men sometimes, begrudged him for it, but they couldn't hate him for it, even as he captured the attention of their women. The fact was, he was loyal to his friends and family and polite to everyone. He gave off a gentle vibe, a welcoming vibe, all despite his house placement; that he owed to his cunning.

A second boy proceeded him. Like the first boy, he was tall, maybe six feet tall, but unlike the first boy, this boy was not so nice. He was dark. He gave off a vibe of aggressiveness, arrogance, and most of all, power. He did not open up to people and he most certainly didn't trust them. His trust was hard earned, but once attained, he was a loyal friend, never-failing, never-doubting. To most of the school he was a cold-hearted, self-centred, egotistical prick. People were so sure he was a practitioner of the Dark Arts, some sort of neo-Death Eater. His dark appearance didn't help his defense case much. Ear length, black hair, brown eyes so dark they were almost black, raspberry red lips, straight, white teeth, and a scar above his eye helped him fit into the Death Eater profile; drop dead gorgeous, but dangerous. All he needed was the tattoo and white mask, or so most people thought.

The last person out of the carriage was a slim, slightly curvy girl. Though she was only an inch or two taller than the other girl, the two boys still dwarfed her. Her pale, flawless skin, pink lips, straight, white teeth, silver eyes, and white-blond hair gave her the appearance and air of an Ice Princess. And to most of the school she was; as emotionless and hard to reach as the boy who'd preceded her. She was untouchable. Girls and boys alike were wary of her. She had a temper, quick to flare. But her temper did not erupt in an explosion of yelling and swearing and scolding and noise, as the dark boy's did. No, hers was as cold as ice, as silent, and as deadly. She didn't need to raise her voice, her eyes were enough, her voice was enough.

The four were dressed in the black robes of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but even in the sea of assimilated students clad in matching apparel, they stood out. They radiated power, both magical and physical. As they entered the school, taking in the white marble staircase and mull of students with calm gazes, there weren't many heads that didn't turn to glance back at them, and not many feet that didn't rush to clear a path as the quartet approached them. They walked in sync to one another, two-by-two. The dark haired boy and girl in front and the other two behind them. Though there were constantly those who opposed them, everyone knew all four were varying degrees of dangerous, wandless or not, and which of them were more prone to violence than others.

They were easily the most powerful Slytherins in the school, almost certainly the most powerful students in the school, period. There weren't many students who didn't know them by name and appearance, though every year there was the occasional unfortunate first year who crossed Seth's path at the wrong time, or worse yet, disrespected the dark boy.

Raelyn winced inwardly as an unlucky second year Hufflepuff boy was accidentally shoved into the dark-haired girl. Raelyn saw out of the corner of her eye, Macon's head swing to stare sympathetically at the younger boy. Even from behind Segan and Seth, Macon and Raelyn could distinguish the look of a deer caught in headlights replacing the former smile that had occupied his facial features. The boy stood still, frozen in place, and Raelyn waited for the explosion that was sure to come. She wasn't disappointed - she never was.

"What do you think you're doing?" Seth demanded, rounding on the boy, whose body shook with a tremor of fear. The terrified expression on his face urged Raelyn to step in and protect him from the wrath about to befall him, but she knew better than to oppose Seth. She would only make it worse, for the boy and for herself. So she stood behind the intimidating dark figure shadowing the boy, features emotionless, but inside she was screaming.

"How _dare_ you inconvenience her like that! What the hell makes you think you can just push her and get away with it?"

"I'm sorry, I was pushed-"

Seth continued, cutting the boy's plea short with a hiss. "Do you know who she is?"

"S-Segan Kallaur," was his stuttered reply.

"That's right! And what shouldn't you be doing to her?" Seth continued viciously.

"Pushing her," said the boy. _Thank God,_ Raelyn thought, _Good answer._

"Right again! You seem like a smart one; too bad your intelligence took a vacation a second ago. Apologize! Say 'I'm sorry for being such an inconsiderate, ignorant, unintelligent prat and I promise to _never_ inconvenience you like this again.'"

The boy reiterated Seth's words, tongue stumbling over them, stuttering uncontrollably all the while. Raelyn doubted he knew what half the words meant, but the fear of Seth Daryll was present in his mind. He folded under the taller boy's unrelenting glare as he finished his apology.

Satisfied, though eyes ablaze, Seth told him, "If _ever_ you do this again, I'll have your balls in a jar and your head on a silver platter." His voice was a snarl. The boy looked close to tears, but Raelyn knew Seth better than he did. Seth wouldn't remember the boy. He was too far below Seth's standards for him to be worth the memory space. The boy, unknowing, scrambled away when Seth jerked his head to the side as a dismissal.

What Seth had just done would have been considered bullying by most. Raelyn understood that. Seth publicly humiliated people on a near daily basis, but she knew it was just Seth's way of protecting himself and those close to him, however violent it may be.

As soon as the Great Hall returned to normal, everyone resuming their forgotten conversations, Segan snapped at Seth, "I don't need you to defend me, Seth!"

"Well excuse me for trying to help," Seth shot back mockingly.

"You didn't have to! He really was pushed!"

"So what?"

"Publicly humiliating someone for something that _is_ their fault is one thing, Seth, publicly humiliations them for being _pushed_ in front of us is another! Its so unnecessary!"

Things hadn't changed since their first year. Segan and Seth, though six years older, still bickered as though they were six years old, only with a more colourful vocabulary. All six years together had given them was more ammunition for insults and threats that were sometimes executed. Seth would defend Segan, though, because even if they argued non-stop, they were still friends, though their friendship was a very warped one. Plus, he liked exerting his power over others. He had next to no tolerance for weakness. And contrary to popular belief, Seth despised the Death Eaters. He abhorred his father, as he had been one, and wished nothing but ill fate upon him. Sure, Seth was quite adept at several spells of dark magic, but he'd never used them to harm anyone. It was simply an interest of his, a morbid facination.

"Segan, if you don't stop soon, I might have to break my rule about not hitting women!" Seth growled through gritted teeth as they sat down at the Slytherin table with their fellow seventh year house mates. It was an empty threat, however. Seth wouldn't sink as low as to lay an unwanted finger on any girl, no matter how angry they were making him. His father was a woman-beater, which was another reason he hated his father.

"You won't _touch_ me Seth Avery Daryll," Segan hissed, voicing Raelyn's thoughts exactly.

"Well you're asking for it, Segan!" Seth retorted sharply and his head snapped to the side unoccupied by Segan. A look of dislike twisted his features. "Get _off_ of me, Karlee!" he stormed and yanked his arm from her grasp. Karlee looked puzzled and dejected at Seth's outburst, but quickly recovered. Smirking, her hand darted under the table and Seth jerked away from her. Raelyn's mouth twisted into a wicked smile.

The girl, still smiling, purred in what Raelyn assumed was supposed to be a seductive voice, "I'll come back later." Raelyn watched her slutty dorm-mate rise from the bench and walk back along it towards Renilda Flint, another of Raelyn's dorm mates. She swayed her hips intentionally in a vain attempt to capture Seth's attention. Seth made a sound of disgust deep on the back of his throat as he turned back to his friends. Raelyn watched him silently.

When he finally looked at her, she said placidly, "You shouldn't have banged her."

"Well it seemed like a good idea at the time..." Seth retorted half-heartedly. He was most definitely regretting it now.

"You were drunk," Segan pointed out.

Seth shrugged. "It felt good."

Raelyn snorted, "Like you remember."

"I do!" said Seth defensively.

Finally, Macon spoke for the first time since they'd gotten off the Hogwarts Express. "But the question is," he began, "was it worth it?"

After a short pause to contemplate, Seth's evasive reply was, "I've had better." He never could admit that he was wrong.

Raelyn chuckled and let her lips fall into a smirk. She wasn't sure exactly _how_ it had happened, but Seth had become the Hogwarts heart throb. Sure, he was handsome, wealthy, persuasive and, she had to admit, at times sexy, but she knew he hadn't felt a thing beyond lust for any of his former conquests. He'd never had an actual girlfriend, insisting he didn't need one, since he had Segan to nag and piss him off, Raelyn to calm him down and have a conversation with, and the rest of Hogwarts female population to 'satisfy' him. After losing his virginity the summer after third year, he seemed to have arrived at Hogwarts and attracted every girl within a five mile radius. His list of play things got longer and longer with every passing night.

Macon shared a quietly amused smile with her, which she returned a second before the doors of the Great Hall were thrown wide open and their half human, half vampire Deputy Headmaster strode in. Votyric trailed a group of petrified first years behind him, his power of command as predominant as ever.

The following hour found the new student sorted into the four houses and Raelyn cheered for every new Slytherin, as was expected of her. McGonagall rose and gave her usual greeting of welcome and proceeded to run through the school rules and regulations. Finally, when Raelyn feared she'd die of starvation, food magically appeared on the tables and they feasted. Raelyn conversed casually with her year mates, ignoring any spats that erupted between her two dark-haired friends (she really didn't know why they'd allowed them to sit next to one another in the first place), and then as the puddings vanished from the table tops, leaving them as spotless as they'd been when they'd sat down, McGonagall rose once more. Students gradually fell silent.

"I just have one announcement to make before you're all sent off to bed," she started in her stern voice. "This year, Hogwarts will be traveling to the Durmstrang Institute." She paused as an excited murmur ran through the crowd. Raelyn and her friends remained silent, waiting for their Headmistress to continue. She did so after a moment, voice strong to override the students' collective one. "Unfortunately, only students seventeen years of age or older will be permitted to accompany me on this trip, and will be handpicked by your teachers and myself. Six students from every house. You are most likely wondering as to the reason for this voyage. Well, I'm sure some of you have heard of the Tri-Wizard Tournament-"

The hall erupted into conversation and McGonagall's voice was drowned out. Raelyn felt her blood run cold. Fear, excitement, anxiety, adrenaline all combined and her fingers tingled. Of course she'd heard of the Tri-Wizard Tournament! There weren't many who hadn't! The last time its reinstatement had been attempted had been at this very school. It had been twenty-five years since then. Last time a boy had died, Last time Voldemort had risen. Last time her godfather had watched it all unfold in front of him. Last time was a never-fading memory burned into the mind of Harry Potter.

"Quiet!" Votyric's voice roared, breaking Raelyn's trance-like state. An immediate hush fell over the cavernous room as all conversation stopped abruptly. Raelyn focused her undivided attention on her Headmistress as she opened her mouth once more to speak.

"As I am sure some of you have heard of our previous failed attempt, I would like to quell all your anxieties about safety. I will be honest. Our last attempt did result in the death of a boy named Cedric Diggory and a Death Eater was found in our midst-" Several nasty looks were shot at the Slytherin table at this point, Seth being a common recipient. He glared daggers at each and every person gutsy enough to keep their eyes on him for more than a couple seconds. McGonagall continued without pause. "-but we are taking even more precautionary measures this time around.

"Now, as your teachers and I already have a good idea of who we believe capable to perform the Tournament's requirements, those selected will be notified by September 15th at the latest.

"That's all for tonight, now off to bed with the lot of you. Prefects, be sure to guide your first years to their respective houses. Goodnight."

As the rest of the Great Hall rose in a flourish of robes and the scratching of benches being pushed back from the tables, Raelyn remained seated and watched as McGonagall seemed slumped ever so slightly in her throne-like chair, as if exhausted. Raelyn was sure she was one of the few who caught the gesture, and the following, fleeting look of apprehension on the old woman's face. Raelyn noticed things most people didn't, and could read most people like open books. It made some of her weaker teachers nervous. They thought of her as dangerous. Right now, McGonagall was nervous, frightened even. _I would be too_, Raelyn thought to herself. McGonagall had been there last time.


	5. Chapter 2

**Last Chapter **As the rest of the Great Hall rose in a flourish of robes and the scratching of benches being pushed back from the tables, Raelyn remained seated and watched as McGonagall seemed slumped ever so slightly in her throne-like chair, as if exhausted. Raelyn was sure she was one of the few who caught the gesture, and the following, fleeting look of apprehension on the old woman's face. McGonagall was nervous, frightened even. _I would be too_, Raelyn thought to herself. McGonagall had been there last time.

**Chapter 2**

The only words on anyone's lips for the first two weeks of school concerned the Tri-Wizard Tournament. What about the last attempt? What might happen this time? What would the champions be expected to do? What would Durmstrang be like? Who were the most likely candidates to be chosen?

In Slytherin there were two people nearly everyone was certain would be picked: Macon and Bright Warrington, the latter of whom was a Prefect and Segan and Raelyn's dorm-mate. She was quiet and timid and seemed to shrink away from anyone who moved too quickly, but she was smart - extremely smart. Macon, though quiet and smart as well, was not timid in the least. Nothing seemed to shake him up, he was always so calm. Bets were being placed all over the school as to who would be picked. The students tried to hide it; the teachers pretended not to notice.

September 15th arrived, and still there had been no word on who'd been picked. During classes that day, Raelyn could feel the tension of the entire school as if it were bestowed upon her own two shoulders. She knew she wasn't the only one bothered by it, though. The more desperate students had been hounding their teachers for the past few days for information. It was no secret that the teachers all knew. Some of them handled it like Votyric: tight-lipped. Some others handled it like Astair: teasing. And some handled it like Flitwick: cracking.

During Charms, their last period of the day, Flitwick finally cracked. It was due to the constant pleading and begging and badgering of two Ravenclaw girls.

"You'll find out tonight at dinner! Now _leave me alone_!" he'd blurted irritably.

Segan glared and made a sound of disgust as the two Ravenclaw girls giggled on their way back to their seats. Segan thought they were undeniably the most annoying, gossipy girls in Hogwarts. Raelyn agreed with her and made it known. Macon agreed with her and kept it quiet. Seth agreed with her and had slept with both of them.

Somehow, within the time span of fifteen minutes - the amount of time students had between classes and the beginning of supper - the whole school knew about the announcement of the candidates. Raelyn supposed that was what happened when one told two gossip queens a tasty bit of information.

Even as they settled into their usual seats at their table, they could still hear the younger students grumbling about how stupid they thought the age restriction was. Most of the older students found it funny and taunted them relentlessly about it. Raelyn thought it pointless and was indifferent to the age restriction, though if she'd been under seventeen she didn't know how she might have felt. She scooped mashed potatoes onto her plate.

"They still think they're gonna miraculously rethink the age minimum if they complain about it enough," Seth said viciously as he settled beside Raelyn. "Bloody whiners should give it a rest! They ain't gonna change it!" He shouted he tail end of his statement at a group of third year girls who were sulking a couple place settings away. Raelyn noticed one of them look over and blush sheepishly. She waved shyly.

"Seth, you didn't..." Macon started, letting his sentence trail off. He'd obviously not missed the little wave, even as he grabbed a chicken leg.

"What?" Seth asked, confused.

"You slept with her, didn't you?" Segan accused, catching on. Seth glared at her and turned back around.

"What? No, that's ridic-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence and groaned as he glanced at the girl. "Bloody hell, I did."

"Seth!" Raelyn scolded exasperatedly. "She's a _third year_!"

"I know that _now_!" Seth said in a hushed whisper, "She told me she was a _fifth_ year! Look at her, Rae. She's rather... _developed_ for her age!"

Raelyn sighed. She _was_ unusually chesty.

"See?" Seth said. "Not my fault. And besides, I was responsible."

"Were you drunk?" Segan asked.

Seth paused. "Not completely..." he answered evasively. Before either girl could dig their nails into him, he held up his hands defensively. "_But_ I _know_ I did the charm. So neither of you can hurt me."

"Considering its you, I'm pretty sure doing the charm is pretty much second nature," Macon said dryly, cutting into the conversation. Segan laughed and relaxed beside Macon, leaned on him. Macon made no sign that he even noticed. He was accustomed to the girls leaning on him after six years. Raelyn saw a Ravenclaw sixth year pass them and sneer jealously at Segan.

"One of Macon's stalkers," Seth whispered in Raelyn's ear. He let his amusement leak into his voice. He lips brushed Raelyn's ear. It was one of his sexy moments. She hated having a womanizer for a best friend. Instead of replying, she popped a carrot into her friend's mouth. He chuckled a bit before drawing away, emotionless facade back in place, munching on the carrot.

Everyone in the hall seemed to eat at bionic speed and as the golden plates returned to their normal immaculate state, there wasn't a calm person in the room. The teachers, with the exception of Votyric, were all smiling secretively. Seth looked up at the teachers' dais interestedly, Segan continuously fidgeted, Macon played with his lip ring and tugged on it from inside his mouth with his teeth and tongue. Even Raelyn felt her heartbeat quickening with ever passing minute of suspense; she felt giddy.

McGonagall finally rose from her chair when the silence became near unbearable. A roll of parchment was clasped in her wrinkled, but firm, hand. All eyes were on her tonight, there was no need for Votyric's booming voice.

"Good evening, students," McGonagall began, "I know how anxiously you have all waited for tonight, whether you're eligible to participate or not, and I apologize for the delay. We had some... problem solving to do, but we're all set now. I have here the names of the twenty four students who will be representing Hogwarts on our voyage. As I am sure some of you are eager to know whose names reside on this parchment, I'll have you wait no longer. When I call your name, I'd like you to come up to the front, here, and then carry on to this side chamber here." She indicated the chamber she wished the students to enter, and unrolled the parchment. Everyone held their breath.

"From Hufflepuff: Mary-Anne Miller, Natalie Johnson, Thomas Burrows, Emily Adamson, Andrew Davies, and Gregory Tone." McGonagall's words were followed by enormous applause from the Hufflepuff table as the six students rose and made their ways up the aisle and onto the dais. They shook hands with McGonagall and then strutted over to the chamber door where they disappeared into the doorway. They seemed to be descending a flight of stairs. McGonagall watched them go and let the applause die down before she commenced.

"From Ravenclaw: Kiera Tofflemyer, Natasha Walker, Gwenyth Campbell, Nicholas O'Prey, Brian Tracey, and Matthew MacDonald." The table next to Raelyn's erupted into cheers. The named students traced the path of the Hufflepuffs before them. Once again, McGonagall waited for silence.

"From Gryffindor: Cameron Barret, Sora Danvers, Colin Perry, Lucas Landry, Elizabeth Turner, and Charles Whitmore." The roar from the table on the opposite side of the hall was ear splitting, rivalling the sound of a clap of thunder, as the chosen six reported to their Headmistress.

The Slytherins were becoming restless. McGonagall had left them for last, and many of them were thinking she'd done it on purpose. Even though she knew it was coming, Raelyn felt her heart leap into her throat as the first word left the old woman's throat.

"And lastly, from Slytherin: Stryder McCormick, Macon Destry-" Of course. "Segan Kallaur-" Segan! "Seth Daryll-" Seth! "Vanessa Cooper-" What? No! "and Raelyn Malfoy." The knot that had tightened in Raelyn's chest when her name hadn't come directly after Seth's loosened. Her fear of being left behind vanished, to be replaced by adrenaline as the Slytherins around her leaped to their feet, stomping and shouting and banging on the table, making as much noise as they could, rivaling all the other houses put together.

Raelyn, her friends, and the two chosen sixth years traipsed coolly up to McGonagall. The rest of the school would not see them over-excited. McGonagall grasped each of their hands in turn, offering her congratulations to each of them, and then waving them in the direction of the side chamber. Raelyn followed the other five through the door and down the steps, into the room whose walls were lined with paintings, their occupants whispering excitedly to one another and dashing madly through one another's portraits. Chairs and couches were occupied by the other eighteen possible champions. While the other three houses mingled with one another, they all cleared a space for the Slytherins to sit as a collective group. Stryder took the vacated arm chair, Raelyn, Segan and Vanessa sat on the couch, and Seth and Macon stood behind them.

They waited quietly, conversation carried on in low voices, for a little more than five minutes before McGonagall, Votyric, Flitwick, Astair, and Sprout descended the steps to join the students. At first Raelyn wondered why such an odd assortment of teachers accompanied the Headmistress, then she realized they were the four heads of house. Votyric's eerie golden eyes lit on his house, the only group segregated from the rest. He didn't say anything or give any of his feelings away. He was good. Raelyn couldn't read him.

"Well congratulations, students, you've all worked incredibly hard, I'm sure, for this opportunity," McGonagall flattered them, bringing Raelyn's attention back to her. The elderly woman continued, "We'll be traveling on October 15th, a month from today. We expect that by then you will have notified your parents or guardians and have all you other affairs in order.

"You are exempt from end-of-term exams _if _you are chosen as Hogwarts champion, but you will continue to attend our classes. Those of you who are not selected as champion may remain for the duration of the tournament, if you wish, to cheer our school champion on, but you will still be expected to complete your end-of-term exams."

Raelyn wondered how they were supposed to attend class when they were going to be thousands of miles away for the majority of the school year. Surely McGonagall wasn't going to teach them every subject herself? She was a talented woman, but she had students from two different years and a variety of courses. She didn't have much time to ponder on the subject, however, since the Headmistress was speaking at a quick pace.

"Now, before I go any further, I must warn you now that, though you have all been chosen because we believe you possess the ability to complete the tasks and trials you'll face in the tournament, you all must understand that this tournament is dangerous. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm only cautioning you. Our safety precautions are to ensure that no one tampers with the tasks or their outcomes, our precautions do not protect you completely within the tasks. If chosen champion, you are compelled to participate. There is no second guessing yourself after you are picked. So now, I give you all the chance to leave now if you do not believe you are ready for this tournament. By remaining here you are agreeing to participate if chosen, and are obligated to enter your name into the tournament once we are at Durmstrang." McGonagall paused. She and the teachers eyed the two dozen students seated before them with scrutinizing gazes. No one moved. The woman nodded.

"Very well. You have seven days, one week, to be sure. After that, I'm afraid you're stuck. Now, off you go. I'm sure your house mates are curious."

Raelyn rose with the others. Adrenaline was still coursing through her veins, her heart still beating abnormally fast. This was the chance of a lifetime. As soon as they were all out of the Great Hall, Raelyn wasn't surprised when all but a few followed her up to the owlry. They all crowded into the cramped, circular tower, finding parchment and borrowing quills to scribble quick notes to friends or family, and then attaching them to owls. Raelyn followed suit.

Once she was done writing and looked up to see Seth leaning against the doorway, she asked, "Not sending a letter home?"

Seth looked at his friend silently for a moment before replying lightly, "Of course not. I may send one before I leave, but until then, the bastard can wait in blissful ignorance like he fucking deserves." Raelyn didn't need to ask who 'the bastard' was. The scathing tone of voice Seth used was reserved solely for his father or any other Death Eater he happened upon in conversation. They very rarely referred to Seth's father by name.

"Well then, in that case, can I borrow your owl?" Raelyn asked. The tall boy fixed her with another silent, pointed gaze.

"You know you don't have to ask," he said softly. Raelyn shrugged as she called down Ramses from the ranks of owls in the rafters. He was a handsome horned owl. He held still as Raelyn fastened her letter to his leg and then flew off without a sound.

They retreated to the Slytherin common room, where they were barraged with questions. Seth snapping and swearing casued the distraction Segan and Raelyn needed to slink off to their dormitory. Raelyn promptly collapsed onto her bed. Oddly enough, the dormitory was empty, their three dorm-mates absent. Brite was no doubt fulfilling her Prefects duties, though Renilda and Karlee were most likely cooped up in a broom closet somewhere, working hard at reinstating their reputations as the Hogwarts concubines.

"Where _is_ Durmstrang?" Segan finally asked after a long stretch of silence.

Raelyn shook her head, though didn't raise it from the mattress where it lay. Her legs hung over the end of the bed. "I have no idea. North somewhere. Mum said it was unplottable."

"Are you going to go?" Segan asked tentatively.

"Of course!" exclaimed Raelyn, heaving her torso up into a sitting position. "You don't really think I'd pass up an opportunity like this do you?"

Shaking her head, her friend replied, "No, I was just making sure. I wasn't sure whether I'd want to go without you. How do you suppose we'll get there?"

Raelyn shrugged and admitted, "I don't know. Hogwarts Express?"

They talked about the tournament for another ten minutes as they changed into their pajamas and prepared for bed. The door of their dormitory opened and Eres trotted in, leaped onto Raelyn's bed and wrapped her sleek, black, feline body around her mistress' arm. Brite followed the fur ball in.

"Hey, Brite," Segan greet her happily. "For a moment there we were dreading you were one of the slags."

Brite smiled softly. Though it was technically against the rules to use such vulgar and degrading language to describe another person at Hogwarts, Brite let them away with it because she knew it to be true.

"I just broke up Karlee and some Ravenclaw sixth year in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." Their dorm mate admitted with a look of great dislike on her face. They laughed a bit before Brite added, "And, hey, congrats on the Tri-Wizard places. That's great!"

"Thanks, Brite," Segan said politely and Raelyn nodded in agreement.

"Sorry you didn't get a spot, though," Raelyn said sincerely. "Everyone thought you were a for-sure."

"Oh, its alright," Brite said lightly with a wave of her hand. "My father wouldn't have let me go anyhow. He wants me to be in one piece for whoever he decides to marry me off to." She rolled her eyes. "You know, the classic pure blood bride montage. Besides, I'm a Prefect, I have responsibilities here."

The three of them turned to the door as they heard distant giggling in the corridor. Raelyn groaned quietly.

"Oh my god! What did he do?" an annoying feminine voice inquired enthusiastically with a giggle.

"He told me to come back later," another girls' voice replied smugly.

"You're _so_ lucky!" the first voice stressed enviously. "He definitely wants you."

"Yeah, its just too bad he's leaving for the tournament in October," said the second girl mournfully.

It was Karlee and Renilda, no doubt discussing Seth and Karlee's sickening obsession with him. Raelyn was really beginning to wonder if Karlee genuinely thought Seth was in love with her or if she was just retarded. She couldn't believe how stupid the two girls were sometimes - most of the time.

The door was thrown open and the two girls marched in arm-in-arm.

"Hey, girls, pleasurable night?" Raelyn asked in a fake perky voice.

The two looked at her contemptuously. "It always is," Renilda replied snootily.

"I bet," Segan said, nodding, eyes wide with innocence. "So I could't help but overhear your conversation and, uh, were you by any chance talking about Seth out there?" She jerked her head at the door.

"Evesdropper," snapped Renilda, but Karlee answered her.

"Yes, and you'd better not touch him while you're all away," she warned, glaring.

Segan's eyes narrowed.

"Either of you," Karlee added, shooting Raelyn a glare.

Just when it looked like Segan was about to jump the stupid girl and rip her throat out, Raelyn stepped in and challenged icily, "And if we do?"

"You'll pay," Karlee said. "I don't care who you are. Seth is _mine_."

"How many times does he have to tell you he doesn't want anything to do with you?" questioned Raelyn, calmly gazing at the other girl. "How many times does he have to turn down your advances before you finally realize that you were nothing to him. A one. Night. Stand." She emphasized the last three words, speaking them slowly, one at a time. They were verbal daggers being driven slowly into the other girl's chest.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Karlee said, trying for a dismissive, indifferent tone of voice, but Raelyn caught the uncertainty.

Raelyn laughed bitterly. "Really? I'm sorry, how many times did he sleep with you?"

"Once!" Segan answered for her, in a sing-song voice.

"And what condition was he in when he did?" continued Raelyn ruthlessly.

"Drunk!" Segan answered again in the same voice.

"And how long ago was this?" Raelyn twisted the psychological knife deeper.

"Fifth year," Segan said.

"Exactly," Raelyn said conclusively. "So what do you have to say now, Karlee?"

Silence greeted her ears as the pair stared, slack jawed and red faced at Raelyn and Segan.

"What's wrong, cat got your tongue? Or is it just worn out from its evening activities?" Raelyn quipped suggestively.

"He's playing hard to get!" exclaimed her opponent.

Raelyn burst into genuine laughter. "Is he? Really? I don't think so. In fact, we can get Seth in here right now to sort you out. Seth!"

"No, no, no! Shut up!" Karlee exclaimed, panicked.

"Oh, no, its alright, I'm sure he knows his way here," Raelyn assured her. "Seth!"

"Shut up!" screeched Karlee.

"Why? I'm sure he won't have a problem with it. Seth!" Raelyn called again, knowing full well that her friend wouldn't be able to hear her and may even already be asleep.

"No, Raelyn! Shut up, Malfoy!" Karlee yelled.

Raelyn turned and smirked eerily. "Oh? The surnames are coming out now?" she taunted taking a step towards the other girl. She backed up into Renilda. _Good_ thought Raelyn, satisfied _I want her to hate me. I want her to be afraid of me. Maybe she'll even be stupid enough to say something about me to Seth and expect him to fix it._

"Just face it, Vaisey," Raelyn hissed quietly, voice as cold as ice, "To Seth, you're nothing but another name and face, one that he's unfortunately been forced to remember because you have taken up stalking him!"

Raelyn had succeeded. Karlee began to bawl. She was satisfied, even though making Karlee cry wasn't especially hard to do.

"You are a bitch, Raelyn Malfoy!" she screamed angrily and stormed out of the dormitory, Renilda tailing her, calling comforting things.

"Well, at least now I can get a good night's sleep!" Segan said brightly as Karlee's sobs faded. Raelyn caught Brite smiling slightly. She wouldn't punish them. She'd pretend she'd never seen it happen.


	6. Chapter 3

**Author's Note** Okay, people, what the hell is up with this utter lack of reviews? I'm a little bit upset by it! Review! If you don't review I don't know you like it and then I stop updating! Let's go!**  
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**Last Chapter** Raelyn had succeeded. Karlee began to bawl. She was satisfied, even though making Karlee cry wasn't especially hard to do.

"You are a bitch, Raelyn Malfoy!" she screamed angrily and stormed out of the dormitory, Renilda tailing her, calling comforting things.

"Well, at least now I can get a good night's sleep!" Segan said brightly as Karlee's sobs faded. Raelyn caught Brite smiling slightly. She wouldn't punish them. She'd pretend she'd never seen it happen.

**Chapter 3**

Over the following week Raelyn waited anxiously for her parents' reply about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She knew she didn't need their permission, seeing as how she was of age, but she still wanted their approval. Finally, it came on the twenty-eighth of September. She opened the evelope reluctantly, fully expecting what she liked to call her mother's 'panic writing' lining the parchment, but what she saw surprised her. Relaxing slightly at the sight of her father's casual scrawl, she began to read.

_Dear Raelyn,_

_ Congratulations! You must be so proud of yourself! The Tri-Wizard Tournament is not for the weak of heart. I'm so proud of you!. So is your mother, but she shows it in different ways..._

_I'm sure you remember that your mother rarely swears. Well, I'm sorry to say that when she received your letter she was cursing like a hag in the Leaky Cauldron. She's very worried about you, after what happened last time. Her favourite phrase has been "No fucking way!" usually followed by the sound of something smashing. __She's costing me a fortune in dinnerware. __It's not that she doesn't have faith in you, she trusts you, but she's slightly... wary. T__he crystal is paying for it._

_If you're wondering what __Harry__ thinks about this, he trusts you and McGonagall. He says the chances of what happened to him happening to you are slim to none. As for me, I'm all for it, as well. I think you'd be brilliant as a champion. Your mother is the one who needs convincing. I fear I may need to invite your godfather over for a bit to help persuade her._

_Now I know you don't need our permission, but you have our blessing, though your mother's will be a little bit slow in coming. I only want you to promise that you'll write to us and tell us all about it._

_Love, Your Father,_

_Draco Malfoy_

_P.S._

_Be careful._

Raelyn refolded the letter, smiling slightly.

"What's it say?" Macon asked, catching her expression.

"Mum's been breaking stuff and swearing," Raelyn replied smoothly. The reaction she was expecting followed.

"Your mum?" Segan asked, shocked. When Raelyn nodded the affirmative, Segan said, awestruck, "Bloody hell..." Raelyn smiled at her friend and a look of amusement flitted over Seth's features.

"Oh, Seth! There you are, love!" An annoyingly familiar voice called from the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Karlee.

"Shit!" Seth hissed as the owner of the voice began making her way towards the small group sitting in the corner. "Raelyn, kiss me?"

"What? No!" Raelyn refused.

"Please?" Seth pleaded hurriedly in a quiet voice. "It's not like you've never done it before."

Raelyn rolled her eyes. "Seth..." she warned as she stood to leave. Seth misinterpreted.

"Thanks!" he whispered appreciatively, grabbed the blond girl's hips, and pulled her into his lap. Reluctantly, Raelyn decided to play along, but scowled at Seth in warning.

"Seth, I was thinking-" Karlee's voice came to an abrupt halt as she gazed at Raelyn, who settled herself on Seth's lap, straddling him, as they kissed eagerly, or so Karlee assumed. His lips were soft and warm as usual, his mouth gentle as it moved over hers. As Raelyn felt his tongue brush her bottom lip lightly, she had to admit they put on a _very_ convincing show. She smirked into his mouth at the look of shock she couldn't see on her dorm mate's face, but knew was there. Seth smiled slightly, too, and playfully bit her lower lip before pulling away slowly. Raelyn played her part and kissed along his jaw and down his throat.

"Sorry, Karlee, you were saying?" Seth asked innocently. Raelyn pulled away and looked at the other girl. She had to see this. Karlee looked back and forth between Seth and his partner in crime before bursting into tears and running away. They watched her go, and as soon as she disappeared down the staircase to the girls dormitories, the four of them burst into laughter.

"That was priceless," Seth concluded, shaking his head, his hands slid from Raelyn's hips as she began to slide out of his lap.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Segan chuckled to Raelyn, who nodded with Seth.

"Thanks, Rae, for getting me out of that," Seth said appreciatively with a heart breaker's smile, and then added with a sidelong glance, "I forgot what a good kisser you were."

"Haha," Raelyn said sarcastically.

"Well, what's there to expect? You learned from the best after all!" her friend proclaimed arrogantly with a wink to top it off.

Raelyn decided to humor him. "Of course, Seth, you taught me well."

"Bloody right, I did!" he affirmed proudly.

Another week passed and another, until finally there was less than a week left before they were scheduled to depart for Durmstrang. Segan's and Macon's parents had both replied to their children's letters with words of pride, encouragement, excitement, and a few words of advice as well. However, Seth still hadn't notified his parents.

Their remaining days passed in a flourish of packing and last-minute arrangements. On the eve of their voyage, a party was held in Slytherin house in celebration. There was Butterbeer, Chocolate Frogs, Canary Creams, and every other manner of food and drink known to the wizarding world. Some of the more devious student had even managed to sneak in Firewhiskey and the like.

Raelyn found Seth brooding in a corner. She made her way through a crowd of mulling people to him, throwing a threateningly cold glare at his silent admirers. The girls immediately tore their eyes from the boy and scattered. Seth didn't acknowledge Raelyn's appearance in front of him. He seemed to be deep in thought, in a trance-like state, his eyes wide open, unmoving and out of focus.

She gently cupped his chin and her friend quickly focused in on her. When he saw it was her he sighed.

"Hey, Rae," he said softly, leaning back in his arm chair. Raelyn took the opportunity to settle lightly into his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned back against him, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder and rest there comfortably.

"What's wrong, Seth?" she asked him quietly. The party raged around them, but Raelyn wanted to make sure they weren't overheard.

Seth's chest rumbled at her back with his answer, "Nothing, just thinking."

"About?" she prompted.

"How pissed my dad's gonna be when he finds out I didn't tell him about being chosen for the Tournament," replied Seth after a momentary pause. "I feel bad because he'll probably take it out on my mum." Raelyn felt her friend bury his face in her neck and sigh again, breathing in her scent.

"You haven't told him yet?" she asked, almost certain she already knew the answer. Sure enough, Seth shook his head, face still buried in her neck. "You should tell him," she advised.

His head shook again and his lips moved against her skin as he spoke, "I don't want to." Kissing her neck lightly, his fingers absently traced patterns along the flesh of Raelyn's hands. He exhaled softly and his breath felt hot against her skin.

"Yes, Seth, you have to," Raelyns pressed, not one to be distracted, though she let him continue his ministrations.

"Rae, c'mon..." Seth groaned.

"No, you have to tell them," she said firmly, pulling away from him and straightening into a standing position. "C'mon, I'll come with you." Seth glared defiantly up at her, searching her eyes with his equally blank ones. Finally he inhaled deeply and looked down, releasing the breath loudly.

"Alright, let's go," he said and rose.

The owlry was cool and dark and abandoned when they ascended it's last step. At the sight of his master, Ramses fluttered down from the ranks of owls and waited patiently while Seth scrawled a short letter and attached it to the owl's outstretched leg. Raelyn watched Seth from the doorway, and as Ramses soared out through the glassless window, she saw a flash of regret flicker in Seth's eyes. It hurt her, but she didn't utter a word to Seth as they left the owlry and slinked back to the dungeons.

As soon as they reentered the common room they noted that their presence had not been missed and Seth made a bee line for the boys dormitories. Raelyn followed him until they came to the stairs.

"Going to bed so soon?" she asked him. He paused, one foot on the first step down, and pivoted.

"I'm tired and I just want to get away from all this," he nodded at the party, so uncharacteristic of him. He was always up for a party.

"Alright," Raelyn said finally, "G'night, Seth." She turned and took a step back towards the party.

His voice stopped her dead in her tracks. "Wait." Raelyn turned and looked at him questioningly. "Come with me?"

"Seth," whined Raelyn, "No."

"C'mon, Rae," he persuaded, climbing back onto the common room floor to stand face-to-face with her. "I just don't want to sleep alone."

"No, Seth, I can't-"

"Please?" he asked, interrupting her. Raelyn hesitated. Seth very rarely said please... But she shouldn't spend the night in the boys dormitories... She argued with herself, but the memory of him in the owlry broke her.

"Alright."

She let him tug her down the steps and down the familiar corridor to his and Macon's room that they shared with three other boys. He dropped her hand as they reached the room. He opened the door and Raelyn followed him in, turning to shut the door behind herself. When she turned back around Seth was already riffling through his trunk for his pajamas. She caught the over-sized t-shirt when it was thrown to her and began to change out of her clothes. Seth had found his pajama pants and was doing the same. She pulled the shirt over her head. It almost reached her knees.

She crawled into Seth's bed beside him. As soon as she settled, Seth's arms encircled her, pulling her right up against him. Raelyn let him; she was used to it. His lips grazed her head, her cheek, and her neck.

"Thank you, Rae," Seth whispered lowly and buried his face in her hair.

Macon and the other boys entered to find them like that later, fast asleep. While the other boys snickered softly and made suggestive comments, Macon smiled softly. It wasn't a rare occurrence for Raelyn to crawl into bed with Seth or, on occasion, Macon. Segan was the same, though she restricted herself to Macon only, due to her strange relationship with Seth.

Macon changed and got into bed. Sleep captured him, his last thoughts were of their departure the next day.

**Author's Note** Remember, review!


	7. Chapter 4

**Author's Note** So I am seeing _nine_ people signed up for Alerts and _three_ for Favourites, so why are my reviews not reflecting this? C'mon people! Show your appreciation and review!

**Last Chapter **"Thank you, Rae," Seth whispered lowly and buried his face in her hair.

Macon and the other boys entered to find them like that later, fast asleep. While the other boys snickered softly and made suggestive comments, Macon smiled softly.

He changed and got into bed. Sleep captured him, his last thoughts were of their departure the next day.

**Chapter 4**

Raelyn's eyes fluttered open as an enthusiastic man's voice filled their room.

"-departure of the Hogwarts students for the Durmstrang Institute, where the Tri-Wizard Tournament is being held this year. And I must say, I couldn't have picked a better day for travelling, myself..."

The radio host on the Wizarding Wireless ranted on about the weather while the boys groaned around her. Seth shifted slightly behind her before sighing and tightening his hold on Raelyn.

From her position in Seth's bed, which was positioned in the far right corner of the room, she could see her friends' four dorm mates In the beds next to them, Macon was sitting up, leaning against his headboard and blinking groggily. In the next bed over, Derick Bull was still fast asleep, arm hanging over the side of his bed, drool dribbling from his open mouth onto his already damp pillow. The bed beside his supported Marc Mane, who was swearing into his pillow, hand feeling blindly around his night table. It landed on the still-blaring Wizarding Wireless and next thing Raelyn knew, the unsuspecting object was on the flagstone floor in pieces. Seth's final dorm-mate was already out of bed, attempting to dress himself unsuccessfully. He was so sleepy he was trying to pull his dress shirt over his foot.

Macon caught her eye and smiled drowsily. "Go back to sleep, Rae, we've got a while yet before we have to get up."

"But classes-" Raelyn began, but Macon shook his head.

"We don't have any today 'cause we're leaving later," he explained, resettling himself in his bed.

"Bloody wankers," Marc cursed at them, "I _hate_ you people! Don't get no classes _and_ you get to leave this hell hole!" Marc was never a morning person. "But you have to take that _bitch_ of a headmistress with you, so _ha_!" Also, his opinion of McGonagall was a little less than kind. He continued to mutter murderously as he got dressed, but Raelyn tuned him out and fell back into unconsciousness.

A gentle hand on her face awoke her some hours later. The hand was tucking her hair being her ear and then resting it's palm on her cheek. She opened her eyes to stare into almost-clear green eyes.

"Macon..." Raelyn groaned and buried her face in the blankets.

"Morning, Malfoy," he teased. "C'mon, you actually have to get up this time."

"What time is it?" she asked, voice cracking.

"Almost eleven," Macon replied. She peeked out at him over the edge of the green comforter and watched him reach across her and slap Seth on the shoulder.

"Mmmm," he moaned, rolling onto his back. Raelyn's back felt cold after the warmth of Seth's chest left her.

"C'mon, mate, wake up!" Macon urged.

"Time to get up already?" Seth groaned.

"Mmhmm," Macon and Raelyn replied together. Raelyn sat up slowly, running a hand through her hair.

"I guess I'd better get back to my dormitory..." she said, slinging her bare legs to the floor. "Segan's probably wondering where I got to."

She rose from the bed and began collecting her clothes as Macon said, "She guessed you were here, but she'll no doubt be asking you for details when she sees you." Raelyn turned and glared at the much taller boy. He grinned slowly and winked playfully at her. Seth seemed to have fallen back asleep.

"We didn't have sex, Macon," Raelyn growled.

Macon laughed easily. "I know that, but Segan doesn't." Raelyn rolled her eyes, groaned, and left without another word.

Unsurprisingly, Segan was already awake and ready when Raelyn stumbled into their otherwise deserted dormitory. Her friend immediately straightened from where she'd been bent over packing her trunk to scrutinize Raelyn. She was wearing her jeans from last night and Seth's t-shirt. Raelyn sighed, tossing the rest of her clothes into her laundry basket. She knew what was coming.

"You slept with Seth!" Segan finally squealed, bouncing up and down. _Here we go_, Raelyn thought. This was the normal reaction whenever Raelyn spent the night away from her own dormitory, ignoring the fact that Raelyn never accused Segan of the same thing when she spent the night away.

"Yes, but not in the way you're thinking," Raelyn half-agreed.

"What do you mean?" Segan asked suspiciously.

"The same thing I mean every other time," Raelyn replied tiredly, digging through her trunk for a clean uniform, "I _mean_ we slept, that's it. No kissing, no touching, no sex."

"You're lying!" Segan said loudly.

Raelyn shook her head, exasperated already, and began to change.

"I don't believe you," Segan stated firmly.

Raelyn chuckled in disbelief. "Believe whatever you want, Segan, we didn't do anything."

"Well he had to have at least kissed you?" stressed the other girl. "It _is_ Seth."

Again, Raelyn shook her head. "Nope, just my head, cheek, and neck."

"Hickies?" inquired Segan hopefully. Raelyn pulled her hair away from her hickey-free skin.

"Well, I'm inspecting Seth next," Segan informed her.

"Go ahead, though I don't know what you're hoping to find."

The dark-haired girl shrugged. "Bite marcs, hickies, scratches, nail marks."

This time Raelyn laughed for real. "And Seth is going to let you that close?"

Segan stuck her tongue out at her friend. "Shut up and finish packing. We're supposed to go to breakfast and then McGonagall's meeting us in the Great Hall."

Breakfast was awkward with only six people to a table, compared to the over one hundred house mates they were accustomed to eating with. Vanessa and Stryder kept their distance at the beginning of the meal until Macon waved them over. They were, after all, going to have to spend the remainder of the school year in their company.

McGonagall appeared as they were finishing up breakfast. She took in her quartered two dozen students with a scowl and asked them all to join the Hufflepuff table. Raelyn and the others obeyed reluctantly and settled uncomfortable at the foreign table. It felt _wrong_.

"Good afternoon, students," McGonagall began curtly, spying their consistent division by house. "My first order of business to address is this... this division. I know in all your years at Hogwarts you have been taught that the four houses competed against one another and some ridiculous rivalries have arisen-" she glanced pointedly at the Slytherins and Gryffindors. "-but, now, I must stress the importance of inter-house unity. Hogwarts only gets one champion and, though we encourage international cooperation, you are expected to support your champion completely, no matter what house they come from! Is that understood?"

"Yes, professor," chorused the congregation of students.

Satisfied, McGonagall continued. "Very well. Now, we are traveling to the Durmstrang Institute this afternoon, as you all know. Your luggage has already been loaded, animals as well. Now, since I will not be traveling with you, I expect you all to behave as if you were at school and, kindly, not open the door. We do not want any casualties. Follow me."

The elderly woman strode briskly past them as the students clambered up from the benches to follow her.

"She still hasn't said how we're getting there," Segan pointed out restlessly.

"Well, we're about to find out," was Raelyn's dry reply.

They were led from the Great Hall into the Entrance Hall and then through the tall oak front doors. On the road in front of the school, five widely-spaced horseless carriages were stationed.

"Professor, are the carriages taking us to the Hogwarts Express?" a Hufflepuff boy questioned as he led the way to the carriage bearing the emblem of Hufflepuff.

"No, of course not, Mr Burrows," McGonagall said, as if the idea was so absurd. She was striding purposefully towards the carriage bearing the Hogwarts crest. "We'll be traveling by carriage and you'll be living in them while we're at Durmstrang."

Raelyn and Segan exchanged a doubtful look. Was this some kind of joke? The carriages were barely big enough to _sit_ four people, let alone _house_ six.

"But professor-" Burrows began, but McGonagall cut him off.

"Please, just get into the carriage Mr Burrows, and save your questions for later," she said, and with that she climbed into her personal carriage. The students watched her disappear before beginning to follow suit.

Stryder placed his hand on the Slytherin carriage door, while Seth wandered over to the front of the carriage. As Stryder wrenched open the door, Raelyn joined Seth. He seemed to be patting an invisible creature.

"Seth-" she began.

"Give me your hand," her friend ordered, reading her mind and holding out his hand. Raelyn looked at him, puzzled, but put her hand in his. He tugged her closer to him. Cautiously, he guided her hand and she touched something she couldn't see. She was stroking what felt like silk covering bone. Her fingers, under Seth's control, tangled themselves in equally silky hair. It flowed through her fingers like water.

"Thestrals," said Seth quietly in her ear. "They look like skeletons of winged horses. They're completely black and scaly, but with white eyes. Their heads look like they belong on a dragon. Their wings-" he abruptly moved her hand to a leathery material, "-are bat-like with a massive wing span. They look reptilian. They've always pulled the carriages."

"Why can't I see them?" Raelyn breathed.

Seth pulled her away from the Thestral and set her in the direction of the coach door. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die."

Raelyn felt her heart drop into her stomach. Yet another reminder of Seth's tortured childhood. She could only imagine the horrors Seth's father had forced him to endure.

**Author's Note** Just reminding everyone to REVIEW! I really appreciate them and I answer all reviews promptly, whether it's just a "thank you" or to answer a question or make a comment. So review!


	8. Chapter 5

**Author's Note** Okay, guys, this is getting ridiculous. I have four Favourites and ELEVEN Alerts, yet I only got two reviews for my last update FROM THE SAME PERSON! Do you see where my math isn't adding up here? I am a strong believer in reviewing and I never put a story on my Alerts or Favourites without reviewing every update and I expect nothing less from my readers! Therefore, I absolutely 100% REFUSE to update again until I have AT LEAST three reviews for this chapter from three different people. It doesn't seem like a lot to ask considering how many people have me on their Alerts list. Please, please, please review!**  
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**Last Chapter** "Thestrals," said Seth quietly in her ear.

"Why can't I see them?" Raelyn breathed.

Seth pulled her away from the Thestral and set her in the direction of the coach door. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die."

Raelyn felt her heart drop into her stomach. Yet another reminder of Seth's tortured childhood. She could only imagine the horrors Seth's father had forced him to endure.

**Chapter 5**

Raelyn gripped Seth's offered hand politely and ascended the step into the carriage. Her mind was wiped clean as the sight before her reached her unsuspecting eyes. She didn't show it, but she was surprised.

She'd stepped into a common room resembling the Slytherin common room, though on a much smaller scale. The floor was flagstone, with a green mat at the door, and a green throw rug in the sitting area, where a fireplace resided, surrounded by a green couch and two green armchairs. Scattered across the remainder of the room were more chintz chairs, arm chairs, couches, and tables. Torches on the walls and a fire in the hearth illuminated the room.

Stairs on either side of the door led up to a second floor. Six doors lined the walls there, each with a name on a silver plaque fixed to the dark wood. A banister allowed them to look down into the common room through the floor-less centre on the second floor.

Seth entered behind her, closing the door behind himself. He gently touched her lower back and said, "I believe we're flying, so we should probably go sit."

Raelyn nodded and walked further into the common room. Segan was towing Macon around the vast room in excitement while Vanessa and Stryder conversed quietly by the hearth. Seth and Raelyn made a bee line for the couch in front of the fire. They settled there comfortably, Raelyn leaned against Seth as he draped his arm across the back of the couch, as most males seemed to do.

A resounding _pop_ issued from the crackling flames and all eyes were drawn to McGonagall's disembodied head.

"Mr McCormick," she called to the closest person.

"Yes, professor?" he asked slowly, bored, dark eyes on her face. The flames licked the brim of McGonagall's pointed hat.

"Are you all inside?" McGonagall inquired briskly. Stryder's eyes scanned the common room before he replied.

"Yes, professor," he intoned.

"Good, tell everyone that you must sit here, around the fire, or else you'll be thrown across the common room. Once we're in the air you're free to roam around until landing. We'll arrive at Durmstrang by supper time, until then, here are some sweets to tide you over." A platter of pastries, chocolates, and candies appeared on the coffee table before them and another _pop_ announced McGonagall's departure.

Raelyn squished closer to Seth as Segan and Macon approached to make room for them, even though it looked unnecessary. Raelyn was convinced four boys could sit comfortably on this couch, not that they would, however. Segan looked at her doubtfully.

"Squishing on the couch?" she asked rhetorically. "I don't think so." She pushed Macon into a big armchair and then settled on his lap. Macon laughed. Vanessa sat down in the remaining armchair and Stryder threw himself down on the couch beside Raelyn. His arm assumed the same position as Seth's along the back of the couch. Raelyn smiled to herself. It was typical male behavior.

"So we're flying," he said conversationally to break the silence.. "Can't say I've ever flown before. But how are we supposed to fly? Is the carriage going to sprout wings and take off?"

"The Thestrals are harnessed to the carriage," Vanessa surprised them all by saying.

"Thestrals? Aren't those the death-horse things Hagrid was talking about last year?"

Vanessa nodded a confirmation. Seth asked interestedly, "Who'd you see die?"

Vanessa looked surprised at being addressed, and so bluntly, but she answered sadly, "My dad."

Seth nodded slowly and didn't say anything more.

The carriage lurched forward abruptly, its speed starting out slow, then progressing to a faster pace. "Here we go!" Stryder announced excitedly as, not a moment later, they felt the carriage lift off the ground. They remained seated while they gained altitude, but as soon as they felt the carriage level out Segan was the first one up. She ran to the carriage door and peered out the small window to the ground below.

"I can see Hogwarts!" she exclaimed. Sensing this was going to be a long flight, Raelyn rose and started towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Seth's voice stopped her, her foot on the bottom step of the staircase. Segan was chattering away rapidly beside her, but Raelyn had long since learned how best to tune her out. None the less, Raelyn glanced quickly at Segan as she turned to face Seth. Segan's cheek was pressed against the glass of the window, her blue eyes wide and excited.

"To take a nap," Raelyn replied monotonously, speculating Seth closely. A slow smirk stretched his lips.

"Worn out from last night, love?" he joked. Raelyn stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ha! Hardly!"

"Alright, alright," Seth said with a wave of his hand. "Go take your nap."

"Wake me up when we get there?" Raelyn requested as she continued on her climb. Seth nodded silently. "Thanks."

She reached the top of the stairs where she could read the first plaque on the first dark wood door: _Vanessa Cape_r. The next one was Seth's, then Macon's, then Segan's. Raelyn's was the fifth door, right next to Stryder's. _Alphabetical order_ she assumed as she pushed her door open.

The room she stepped into was cozy-looking. A four poster draped in the Slytherin emerald green was on her left with a night stand on either side. Her school trunk was at its foot, Eres in her carrier beside it. She mewed pathetically to be let out, so Raelyn obliged. A wardrobe stood next to the door, a full length mirror enamelled with silver next to it. A desk was positioned opposite the door, underneath a massive window displaying the afternoon's blue sky, completely cloudless, sun shining. A dark wood door next to it led into the bathroom, she assumed. Raelyn crossed the room and pulled the heavy green drapes closed over the window, plunging the room into near darkness. She kicked off her shoes, shrugged her robe to the floor, and climbed into the immensely welcoming bed. She lay her head down and promptly fell asleep.

She dreamt. She was in their Hogwarts dormitory. From the decorations, she decided it was their fifth year. It was a memory. She'd fought with Segan over something she could no longer remember, though she _did_ remember it had been over something stupid. Segan was screaming at her, exactly as Raelyn remembered, as they stood on opposite ends of the room, Raelyn closest to the door. Seth and Macon were standing in the doorway, watching silently. Like most males, they weren't going to get in the middle of a cat fight.

That night Segan and Raelyn had refused to speak to each other for the rest of the evening and then refused to sleep in the same room. That night had also begun their habit of crawling into bed with Macon and Seth. Since Segan wasn't on good terms with either Raelyn, because they were fighting, or Seth, because their fight had been on-going for five years, Macon had traded Raelyn places. She'd sneaked to the boy's dormitory and crawled into Macon's bed, angry and hurt. Seth must had seen it in her eyes or her mannerisms because before she could get settled, Seth raised the blankets on his bed, welcoming her into his embrace. Raelyn debated for a moment before accepting. As soon as she settled against him, he wrapped his arm protectively around her and pulled her tight against his chest. She didn't resist. A tear slid down the side of her face, absorbed into the pillow with only a small damp spot as proof that it ever actually existed.

"Its alright, Rae," Seth had told her reassuringly, rubbing her back. His voice would become deeper over the years that followed. "You're alright, you're okay. Segan will get over it; she still loves you."

Raelyn still remembered those exact words two years later. She remembered how Seth had said them in a voice so low she had to strain to hear them. She remembered how she'd never heard him use that tone of voice ever again.

In her dream she closed her eyes. In real life, she woke with a start.

Sitting up in bed, she looked around the dark room blearily. Macon was standing by the side of her bed calmly in the sliver of light filtering into the room from the ajar door.

"You were dreaming," he finally said. Raelyn paused a moment then nodded. Macon said nothing, waiting and sucking on his lip ring, knowing Raelyn would tell him without any provocation.

Sure enough, Raelyn opened her mouth, paused, then spoke hesitantly. "You remember that fight between me and Segan in fifth year?" There wasn't a doubt in Raelyn's mind that Macon would remember. He remembered everything.

Macon smiled his slow smile and said, as Raelyn had expected, "How could I forget? It was the first and last time you two fought." He chuckled reminiscently.

"D'you...d'you remember what we fought about?" asked Raelyn curiously as she frowned.

This time Macon threw his head back and laughed, "Oh yeah. Segan found out that Antoine Rickardo fancied you, but she fancied him, so it pissed her off. She somehow convinced herself it was your fault. She felt so bad afterwards, though, and I had to convince her you wouldn't hate her for the rest of your lives when she woke up and started crying at three in the morning." Macon paused here and smiled down at Raelyn. "She told me not to tell you about her little breakdown, but I doubt she even remembers anymore. All the same, though..." He placed one long finger to his pursed lips in a silent command to keep it quiet. Raelyn smiled and nodded.

"So I suppose we're landing soon?" she asked, getting out of bed.

Macon nodded. "His majesty sent me." Raelyn smiled, amused at Macon's most recent pet name for Seth. "He said 'Wake her ass up and tell her to get fucking Segan away from the fucking window.' So eloquent."

Raelyn chuckled. "Why didn't he come himself?"

"He's been having a nice little chat with Vanessa," replied her friend. Raelyn froze and shot a mischievous look at the tall boy.

"How long do you think she'll take him?" she questioned challengingly.

"I'm not completely sure she's interested in him actually."

Raelyn fixed him with a doubtful gaze. "He's Seth Daryll. He gets whoever he wants."

Macon shrugged good-naturedly and smiled again. "I don't know... I'm pretty sure Vanessa's a virgin, so I'd give it a good long while. I actually feel sorry for her, losing it to Seth... But what can you do?"

Raeyln grinned. "I can't do anything about it." Macon shrugged. "You could always get her to lose it to you," she added. Her friend frowned distastefully. Raelyn waited.

"I don't want to take that from her. It's not fair to her," he said finally.

Raelyn paused. This was what Macon was like. He was too good for Slytherin, he was respectful and courteous and actually gave a damn about other people's feelings. She sighed.

"But-"

"Raelyn!" a roar erupted from the lower level. "Get your ass down here and _shut Segan up_!"

Macon chuckled, "You're being summoned."

"Uh huh," Raelyn agreed, heaving herself out of the bed, passing Macon as she walked through the door. Trotting down the stairs she realized that Segan was indeed talking so much and so quickly it was difficult to understand her.

"Segan," Raelyn said bluntly. No response. "Segan," she tried again. Still nothing. "Segan!"

"Rae! Oh, my god!" The smaller girl's hand shot out and wrapped itself around the blond's wrist, jerking her roughly over to the window with surprising strength. "Look! Its Durmstrang! Aren't you excited? Do you think they'll be cute? And the Tournament! I'm so excited! Oh! Did you see that dog! At least I think it was a dog... It could have been a tree... Or a cow... Oh well, it doesn't matter. As soon as we land..."

Raelyn tuned her friend out and regarded the ground below the carriage. A castle was at the head of what appeared to be a small village. The castle, though not as large as Hogwarts, was still impressively grand. Mountains rose up on all its sides, a small lake centred the village. The ground looked uneven, the castle was on a rise, and everything was covered in snow and ice.

"Rae!" Seth called from the common room area. "Get her over here, McGonagall says we're going in for landing."

"...and look at the snow!" Segan was still gushing. Raelyn grasped her wrist gently and tugged.

"C'mon, Segan," she coaxed and led her friend over to the hearth. She passed the girl off to Macon as she passed his armchair and she took her original seat next to Seth on the couch. Vanessa looked much more relaxed , even with Seth's flirting.

They spiraled downward gradually. Raelyn could almost feel the ground getting closer, until finally with relatively smooth friction, they landed. The carriage carried on for a minute before slowing and finally stopping on the bumpy terrain.

Sitting in silence for what seemed an eternity, Segan finally broke the silence. "So what do we do now?"

As if to answer her question, their carriage door was opened promptly and a boy's face appeared in the doorway. A smile graced his handsome face as he bowed and greeted them.

"Hogvarts, velcome to the Durmstrang Institute."

**Author's Note** REMEMBER TO REVIEW PEOPLE! Minimum of three reviews or you get nothing!


	9. Chapter 6

**Author's Note** WOW I can't even put into words how disappointed I am with my readers right now... I only asked for THREE reviews, which I didn't think would be too hard to achieve considering I have thirteen people who receive Alerts for this story... Three out of thirteen is pretty abysmal. However, I would like to thank my one and only faithful reviewer **haileydelacour101**. I greatly appreciate your reviews!**  
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**Last Chapter **Their carriage door was opened promptly and a boy's face appeared in the doorway. A smile graced his handsome face as he bowed and greeted them.

"Hogvarts, velcome to Durmstrang Institute."

**Chapter 6**

The snow crunched under their toes as McGonagall assembled them in front of her carriage.

"Professor," the boy said smoothly. McGonagall froze and turned to the boy, who smiled at her. "You haf nothing to vorry about. Ve vill take care of your carriages and beasts. Professor Ianneillo is vaiting for you in the Dining Hall vith the rest of our students to velcome you. He vill take you there." He beckoned over a second boy. A great gust of wind whipped past them, biting through their robes. Raelyn's blond hair flew about her face and goosebumps spread rapidly over her flesh. The involuntary cold shudder gave her a greater appreciation for the Durmstrang boys' heavy furs.

"Thank you," McGonagall said appreciatively and the second boy stepped closer with a smile.

"Please, follow me," he said.

The trek up to the castle was a workout. The ground was, as Raelyn had suspected, very uneven and frozen solid. A Ravenclaw girl complained about the cold wind, as if she were the only one who felt it, until Seth snapped at her. Then she sulked.

Finally, they ascended the castle steps and the Durmstrang student held open the enormous door for them. If they'd been expecting a toasty warm welcome, they were sadly disappointed. Durmstrang's interior was like lukewarm water: somewhere between warm and cool.

"Ve apologize for the cold. Ve know you are not accustomed to it. Our fires are only lit for magical purposes, unfortunately," their guide explained apologetically as they walked.

What had first started as dead silence grew steadily to noise as they were led steadily closer to the Dining Hall. They arrived outside another set of large, oak, double doors and their guide turned to them

"Please, vait here for only a moment. I must inform Professor Ianneillo of your arrival," he said and his eyes flickered to something behind them. Raelyn turned curiously as the boy continued, "and of the arrival of the beautiful Beauxbatonts ladies."

"Yes, of course," McGonagall agreed and the boy nodded and disappeared behind a tapestry, the Beauxbatons' guide following silently behind him.

They waited in silence, the students of Hogwarts stealing glances at the Beauxbatons girls, and vise versa. Raelyn felt Seth stirring restlessly at her side. He was a ladies man-he was probably undressing the girls with his eyes. Raelyn smirked and received a dirty look from one of the Beauxbatons girls, who must have mistook her amusement for smugness.

"Garce," she sniffed to her friend, eyes sizing Raelyn up. Her Headmistress must have heard her and strode over to her, speaking in rapid, angry French.

The two boys reappeared from behind the tapestry.

"Professors," the Hogwarts guide said politely. Both headmistresses turned to him. "Professor Ianneillo says he is ready for you now. He vishes for Hogvarts to enter first?" McGonagall gave a curt nod. "Vonderful, here ve go..."

And with that the two boys took the handles of the doors and heaved them open. All eyes were on them as Raelyn slipped on her emotionless facade.

"Sons of Durmstrang, please give your warmest welcome to the fine students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" A strong male voice roared from the platform at the front of the hall. McGonagall seemed to take that as her cue to act, and led them into the vast room roaring with cheers, applause, and whistles. The boys smiled, welcoming, them as they passed.

They were all standing, wearing the same blood red and black uniforms as the boys who'd accompanied them to the Dining Hall, Their furs hanging off the backs of chairs. Unlike Hogwarts, whose Great Hall was separated into four house tables, Durmstrang's Dining Hall was crowded with numerous round tables, each seating about eight people each. There didn't look to be any divisions or houses either. A man who looked to be in his late thirties had jumped off the platform and was striding towards them, down the centre aisle between the tables. He had short, brown hair, a goatee of the same colour, and a crooked nose. His blue eyes crackled merrily, though, and he was handsome for his age.

"Professor McGonagall!" he said, arms outstretched. Raelyn noticed that, not only did he have no trace of a Slavic accent, but he had a purely British accent. "How are you?" he asked as he bowed over McGonagall's hand and kissed it.

"I am well, Adonis, and you?" McGonagall replied kindly, a motherly smile on her face.

"Wonderful, now that you're here," he said, flattering her.

"Been behaving yourself?" McGonagall asked, still smiling. "Last time I remember seeing you was at your graduation setting small fires under Professor Trelawney's robes."

The man laughed hoarsely. "Professor! I'm running a school now, I can't continuously get into trouble like I could twenty years ago!"

McGonagall chuckled. Raelyn raised an eyebrow. Never in her seven years had she ever heard McGonagall chuckle. Smiles were rare, yet here she was smiling continuously and _chuckling_.

The man smiled brightly and placed a finger to his pursed lips. "But we'd best keep those stories to ourselves before we give my students something to talk about. Come, come, we must make way for Madame Eunomie. These are the tables for your students." He said, waving to four empty tables to their right. Raelyn watched the whole exchange with interest. McGonagall treated Ianeillo like a mother would treat her son. Did he attend Hogwarts in the past, perhaps? Possibly a favourite student? Though Raelyn had never heard of McGonagall favouring anyone...

He led them to the appointed tables. "We must stand for Beauxbatons, but once they've been welcomed, you may sit," Ianneillo explained to the Hogwarts students. "And as for your Headmistress, she'll be sitting up there with me." He nodded towards the dais on which sat the staff table, a broad half-circle. It was full, save for three throne-like chairs in the centre.

"Behave yourselves," McGonagall warned and turned away from them, allowing herself to be led away by her former student.

Raelyn and the Slytherins circled around the closest table as the other three houses followed suit.

"And now," came Ianeillo's booming voice, "Please welcome the gorgeous ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic!"

The same greeting Hogwarts had received upon their entry was also awarded to the Beauxbatons girls clad in their powder blue uniforms, though a wolf whistle or two accompanied their entrance. Ianneillo greeted their Headmistress with a handsome smile and a kiss on the hand, though Raelyn could tell he'd only met this woman since he'd become Headmaster.

"Ze 'orses – are zey alright with zoze students? Do zey know zat zey can only have single malt whiskey?" she was saying.

Ianneillo chuckled. "Yes, Madame, they'll be fine. You have no need to worry."

"Very well," Eunomie said. "Where would you prefer my students?" Raelyn glanced at the two dozen shivering girls standing behind their Headmistress, before returning her attention to their conversation.

"Oh, right over here at these four tables," Ianneillo said, waving his hand at the only empty tables left in the hall. Raelyn lost interest after that, turning her attention, instead, to the Durmstrang boys.

They were mostly dark-haired and brown-eyed, but every now and then Raelyn would spot of a shock of blond hair or catch a blue or green eye. For the most part it looked like they started out short and skinny and as they became older, they grew taller and muscled. There were few overweight boys, and those that were, Raelyn found to be in younger years. They all stood straight and proud.

"They're gorgeous!" Segan whispered at Raelyn's side.

"Not gonna fight you on that one," Raelyn agreed. Though not all of them were handsome, a good part of them were.

"Please, be seated," Ianneillo called. Everyone obeyed with a scraping of chairs and murmurs. "Thank you, and welcome to Durmstrang Institute!" he continued. "I am afraid I will have to apologize for the cold here. We only light fires for magical purposes. Now, I only have one matter to address here, so I won't starve you for much longer-" there was a smattering of appreciative laughter from the students. Ianneillo smiled wolfishly. "I'd like to introduce these two amazing women I'm lucky enough to have on either side of me. On my left, here, is Madame Eunomie, the Headmistress of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic." Eunomie rose at Ianneillo's behest. Raelyn examined her while she applauded along with everyone else.

She was older than Ianneillo, but younger than McGonagall. She had long blond hair, brown eyes, small pink lips, and fair skin. She smiled acceptingly, blushing slightly, and everything about her was serene and peaceful. But there was something about her...

"She's not right," Seth said in her ear.

"Hmm?" Raelyn answered absently.

"The Beaxbatons Headmistress," Seth elaborated, "Somethin' off about that bird."

"You read my mind," Raelyn consented, barely moving her lips.

"And this is Professor McGonagall, the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where I went to school. In fact, she taught me Transfiguration while she was Deputy Headmistress."

Applause took up again. When it finally died down Ianneillo held his arms out wide.

"And I am Professor Ianneillo, Headmaster of the Durmstrang Institute. Welcome, and let the feast begin!" With that, food materialized on the table in front of them, both foreign and familiar. Beverages including wine and beer cluttered the table in bottles and flagons. Looking around, Raelyn realized the same thing was on every table.

Segan laughed and asked, "What do you think the drinking age here is?"

A laugh from beind them surprised them. Segan and Raelyn looked around and came face to face with a Durmstrang boy. He laughed again.

"I'm sorry, I really vasn't eavesdropping," he apologized and defended himself at the same time. He looked to be around seventeen, maybe a year older, with wavy black hair that curled over his ears and popping brown eyes. His nose was straight, his skin olive, and stubble grew on his chin and cheeks, but in a way that made him more alluring. When he smiled his teeth were white and straight. "It just happened to be your voice I heard. To answer your question, there isn't vone. Get as drunk as you vant, just don't die. That's the rule. Though, the novelty vears off quickly once you find yourself vaking up every morning vith a headache. The first years, though..." He broke off leaning over in his chair to look elsewhere. Raelyn and Segan followed his gaze to a table of first years who were gulping down beer at an appalling pace. "Vell, they hafen't quite learned yet. Most parents don't allow their children to get drunk." He gave them a pointed look and Segan giggled. Raelyn smiled.

"What's your name?" Raelyn asked him.

The boy grinned. "Rodney Dimitrov." He offered them his hand to shake. "And you?" he asked while he shook Segan's hand, then Raelyn's.

"I'm Segan Kauller," said Segan eagerly, "And this is Raelyn Malfoy." Rodney's face creased into a thoughtful frown.

"Malfoy... I haf heard that name somewhere before..." Raelyn shrugged and smiled politely. Rodney shrugged, too.

"Oh, vell, I'm sure ve vill find out eventually," he said. Raelyn found that Rodney was an easy person to get along with, talkative, funny, interesting, and relaxed. Segan liked him, too, but while Raelyn's mind was on friends, Segan's was probably already planning their wedding. She spent the majority of the feast talking to him, occasionally dragging Raelyn back into the conversation.

Finally, the feast came to a close and Ianneillo rose and waited for the hall to quiet.

"Well, now we're all fed and watered, I suppose I should explain everything.

"First of all, as many of you know, the tournament is only open to those aged seventeen and older. This was established by the Ministry of Magic so don't bother coming to complain to me about it. I can't do anything about it, and frankly, I don't care." Everyone laughed.

Ianneillo continued. "The tournament will be opened tonight and will remain open until Halloween night at midnight when we will select the three champions.

"There will be three tasks spaced out throughout the school year that will test the champions' magical abilities, prowess, and bravery. Chances are, if chosen, you'll get at least a few scratches.

"As you know, I'm sure, one champion will be selected from each school. Only one. This will not be a repeat of when _I_ was in school. The champions will be marked according to their performance in the tasks and the champion with the highest score after the third task will be declared the winner of the Triwizard Tournament Cup and an amount of ten thousand galleons prize money. And, just so that none of you can say the champion was chosen because they're the teacher's pet, like I would have thought in school, champions will be selected by an impartial judge... The Goblet of Fire." The torches dimmed considerably.

With a wave of his hand an enormously tall, broad, and muscular man moved forward from the shadows carrying a worn casket. He set it down gently on the conjured pedestal in front of Ianneillo and backed up into the shadows where he'd formerly resided. Excited whispers were sweeping through the hall as Ianneillo extracted his wand from inside his robes. He was little more than a shadow as the hall resounded with the sound of his wand tapping three times upon the caskets cover. The creak of the lid opening was magnified ten times, echoing in the anxious silence. With great care Ianneillo reached inside the casket and withdrew a completely ordinary, unremarkable, roughly-crafted wooden cup. The gasps of awe escaping everyone's lips was due to the cup's contents: dancing blue and white flames. The unusually bright light seared Raelyn's eyes, but she couldn't look away.

The fire cast contorted shadows across Ianneillo's face as he said, "Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament have only until midnight on October 30th. I am not joking when I say put serious thought into this decision. This tournament is not a game."

**Author's Note** COME ON, PEOPLE! REVIEW PLEASE!


	10. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** Well, I didn't get my SMALL request of three reviews, but I did receive ONE. Let the record also show that this was an anonymous review. Shame on you members! So:

_itachiiyoubastard_ thank you soooooo much for your review. I was so happy to receive it, especially after receiving zero since I updated! I'm also really happy you took an instant liking to my OC characters and I hope you like this chapter! ;)**  
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**Last Chapter ** The fire cast contorted shadows across Ianneillo's face as he said, "Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament have only until midnight on October 30th. I am not joking when I say put serious thought into this decision. This tournament is not a game."

**Chapter 7**

Tearing Segan away from Rodney when everyone began to rise after the feast was over was almost impossible. Once they finally did, she yammered on about him the entire trek back to the carriages, which was led by Ianneillo himself. The enormous man, Raelyn had learned, was the caretaker and named Mr. Small, and he was sent to lead the quivering Beauxbatons girls back to their quarters.

Ianneillo walked ahead of the students with McGonagall on his arm.

"She's way too old for him," Raelyn heard Gwenyth Campbell, a Ravenclaw, say snootily. Raelyn rolled her eyes and rounded on the girl.

"He's an old student of hers," she drawled. "He probably went to school with our parents."

"Well _excuse_ me," Gwenyth said sarcastically with an exaggerated roll of her eyes at Kiera Tofflemyer, whose arm was linked with hers. "I'm sorry I spoke without your permission."

"You seem to need it, since you're a self absorbed bitch who doesn't listen and just runs her bloody mouth 'til her lips drop off," Raelyn said calmly, rage boiling up.

The girls' jaws dropped and Campbell's face twisted into a contorted look of rage. "You're one to talk, Malfoy. You're a spoiled brat and you're calling me a self-absorbed bitch?"

"Spoiled am I? I'll show you spoiled-" she lunged at the girl, whose triumphant smirk had turned to a facade of fear.

An arm caught Raelyn around the waist in mid-lunge, the owner of said arm had pulled her against him as she continued to struggle. Raelyn saw the look of fear on Campbell's face intensify. There could only be one person holding her...

"Watch your tongue, Campbell," Seth growled lowly, chest rumbling against Raelyn's back. "You might lose it one day." He sounded so sincerely threatening he even made Raelyn a little nervous, though she didn't show it.

The Ravenclaws looked close to tears as Seth walked away with his arm securely around Raelyn's waist. Raelyn spotted Segan and Macon on the other side of the group, Segan's mouth moving quickly while Macon smiled politely and nodded at all the right times.

"Why'd you stop me?" Raelyn asked Seth quietly as she wrenched herself out of his relaxed grip. He dropped his arm and walked along beside her. "I would have torn her apart."

"Well, you just answered your own question, didn't you?" Seth said expressionlessly.

"So what?" Raelyn snapped. "She would have deserved it."

"I'm not disagreeing with you, but if you're going to kill someone be subtle about it. Don't do it while our Headmistress and our host school's Headmaster are just ahead of us."

Raelyn looked at Seth hard; she couldn't tell if he was joking or not. She wondered again what Seth's father had exposed him to, but she knew better than to ask right then. Until then Seth hadn't looked at her. When he tore his eyes from the ground passing underneath his feet and looked straight at her, Raelyn's stomach lurched. His eyes were so dark, channeling so much emotion with just a split seconds glance. Anger, pain, sadness, frustration, anxiety, annoyance, guilt, grief, lust, loyalty, fear, and love.

Then she blinked

And it was gone.

Even though it had been so brief, that one glimpse into his soul had been enough.

"Your father wrote you back." It was a statement and Seth took it as such, eyes back on the snowy ground.

"Actually, it was a Howler," he said flatly.

"When?"

"This morning, just after you left."

"And...?"

He opened his mouth to speak and for a moment he was silent, then-

"A woman was screaming."

Raelyn's blood ran cold with dread. Her mouth became paper dry and she prayed that what she was thinking was wrong. "Was it your mum?" she asked hollowly.

A feeling of relief washed over her when Seth shook his head no.

"Well... that's not so bad," Raelyn said weakly. As soon as she said it, though, she wished she could take it back. Everything about Seth was calm. His stance, posture, face, steps, and voice. But the look he gave Raelyn made her breath catch in her throat. Raelyn was the one and only person he ever let his guard down with, and even with her it was rare.

"She's _dead_, Rae," he whispered, "He _killed_ her! She died last night because of me."

Goosebumps rose rapidly all over her body, and it wasn't because of the cold. "I'm sorry, Seth."

The taller boy just shrugged and gave her a sad half-smile. "Wasn't your fault, it was mine."

"No, its your father's," she protested immediately. Seth opened his mouth, but Ianneillo spoke first.

"Here we are!" he announced. They all looked up, surprised. Sure enough, there were the five carriages arranged in a circle facing inwards. A fire burned merrily in its centre.

"Thank you, Adonis," McGonagall thanked him pleasantly.

"I'll bid you goodnight here," Ianneillo said with a dramatic bow. "Goodnight, ladies and gentlemen. Goodnight professor." They bade him goodnight in return and watched him disappear into the night.

"Professor, can I ask you a question?" Stryder asked McGonagall breezily.

McGonagall, startled at first, recovered quickly and said curtly, "Of course, Mr. McCormick."

"Are you going to like us that much when we graduate?"

There was a moment of silence where the only sound was the crackling fire, then everyone burst into laughter. Even Seth chuckled a bit.

"Goodnight, Mr. McCormick," McGonagall said evasively, though Raelyn heard the hint of a smile in her voice as she headed off in the direction of her carriage.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Stryder carried on, drawing out the joke. "I wanted to plan my future around the answer."

His answer was the slam of the carriage door.

The students dispersed into their respective carriages. Raelyn following the continuously yammering Segan inside Slytherin's. Seth was the last one in. Raelyn yawned as she leaned against the wall inside the door.

"Tired?" Seth asked. As she pushed herself off the wall he grabbed her shoulders and began marching her up the stairs after the others.

"No," she replied truthfully. She _had_ napped the whole way there.

"Then come to bed with me," Seth whispered seductively in her ear.

"Seth!" Raelyn yelled in mock indignation "I am a lady!" Her friend chuckled in her ear and parked her at her door.

"Get your pajamas on and then come to my room," he ordered. "I've got something I want to show you." He began to walk away.

"New position?" Segan suggested. Stryder snickered.

"Its above the belt, thank you, Segan," Seth replied, surprisingly good-natured. Raelyn saw Macon raise an eyebrow.

"Not like there's anything left for her to see _below_ the belt, anyways," Segan muttered loudly. Vanessa giggled.

"Shut up, Segan," Seth and Raelyn said together, simultaneously closing their doors.

Raelyn headed straight for her trunk when she turned away from the door. Searching through it for her pajamas: a pair of plaid pajama pants and a tank top, she pondered on what Seth could possibly want to show her that wasn't sex related. It _was_ Seth, after all. Discovering her pajamas after an extensive search, she dressed in them, tied her hair up, and went to Seth's room.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"Open it yourself!" Seth called from within. Raelyn smiled wryly and pushed the door open.

"What are you doing, Seth?" she laughed, walking over to him. He looked up at her and grinned holding up his index finger to signify 'one minute'. Raelyn leaned back on one foot and crossed her arms, waiting. Finally, Seth surfaced with a blue box with white lettering. He handed it to her.

Accepting it, she read what was on it. "Pictionary?" she asked confused. "What the hell?" Her friend laughed, in an unnaturally happy mood.

"It's a game," he explained, unhelpfully.

Laughing, Raelyn answered, "I know what it is. But what are you doing with it? This is a Muggle game."

"Play with me?"

Raelyn paused. "Alright, I could take that two ways..."

Seth rose from the ground and walked slowly towards her. "Take it whichever way you want to take it. I'm up for either one." He was right in front of her, shirtless, face inches away from her. He was looking at her teasingly. Raelyn grinned wolfishly at him and pushed him away.

"Do you even know how to play this game?" she inquired curiously.

"Teach me."

"I don't know how to play," she admitted.

"Then I guess that leaves only one option." The bed was under her seconds later as Seth tackled her backwards and landed gently on top of her. Pictionary flew out of hand and landed on the floor beside them. The box flew open, the pieces and cards cascaded out of it. Raelyn heard it as Seth's lips closed over her own and he settled between her legs.

"That's a four player game, Seth," she said, kissing him back.

"I thought you'd never played before?" he pointed out, pulling away from Raelyn's lips long enough to move them to the head of the bed, instead of lying across it horizontally.

"Well, I lied," Raelyn admitted before Seth's lips crashed onto hers again.

"So did I," Seth said between kisses. "It's my mum's favourite game. I've known how to play since I was little." His hand pulled the elastic out of her hair and he tangled his fingers in it.

"Mentioning your mum, there's one way to kill the mood," joked Raelyn.

"I really couldn't care less right now," He said gruffly as one of his hands slid her tank top up over her rib cage and his thumb smoothed over the taught skin of her stomach. "It's been _far_ too long!"

Raelyn chuckled and moved her lips to kiss down his jaw to his neck. She knew he loved being kissed there. "How long?" she asked huskily.

"Since Saturday?" Seth answered, his hand moving down to her hip then back up again to her rib cage.

Raelyn laughed. "Its Wednesday!"

"I know! It's so long!"

"Aww, _hard_ day?" she teased, biting down on his neck, hand trailing down her friend's toned stomach to stop at the waistband of his pajama pants. Seth laughed, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"You have no idea. Though, I actually had every intention of attempting to play two-person Pictionary until you showed up here wearing _this_." He'd stripped her tank top off, leaving her with her bra and pants on. He whipped the shirt across the room and kissed her neck. Raelyn chuckled again.

"So how're you feeling now?"

She was answered with him pressing firmly against her.

"What do you think?" he growled, nipping lightly at her neck.

She laughed as he kissed his way along her collarbone and down her chest, between her breasts, down her stomach. He dipped his tongue into her navel and that was when she grabbed his head and pulled him back up to her lips. She tangled her fingers in his soft, black hair and she kissed him hard. His hand behind her back almost undid her bra before she pushed him off of her. He fell to the side and glanced at her confusedly.

"What, Rae-" he began, but she cut him off with a deep kiss that shaped his mouth into a smile. Biting his lower lip lightly, she resumed kissing down his jaw, his neck, his chest, his stomach. She got to his waistline and looked up at his grinning face. She mirrored his smile and kissed him through his pants.

"Oh, god," he sighed and let his head fall back onto his pillows while Raelyn shimmied his pants off his hips, leaving him in his boxers, which were looking a bit tight.

Raelyn laughed and crawled back over him to kiss him, hand finding its way into his boxers. The only response she got was his kisses becoming harder and more urgent.

She felt his hands on the waistband of her pants pause for a moment before pushing them over her hips slowly, down her legs, and off. They hit the floor.

Seth broke their kiss momentarily to turn off the lights and silence the room with wandless magic. The only light now was coming from the window.

"Silencing the room, huh?" Raelyn asked as he flipped her over and kissed her.

"Mmhmm," he mumbled into her mouth.

"Planning on screaming?" she teased.

He chuckled, "No, but you will..." Raelyn laughed.

His hand behind her back undid her bra and drew it off in one smooth motion. It joined their ever growing pile of clothes on the floor. He leaned down on her a bit more for more skin-to-skin contact. Raelyn pushed his boxers off, Seth pulled her panties off.

"Can I?" Seth asked, breathing ragged.

"Since when do you ask?" Raelyn demanded as his hand brushed the skin just below her panty line and her stomach twisted in anticipation. His hand moved to caress her inner thigh as he looked down at her, chest rising and falling quickly, wet lips slightly parted, eyes roaming her body. Finally his eyes met hers.

"Since you're the only one I have sex with that I care about," he blurted out, without a second thought, without considering the repercussions, without worrying about someone catching him unawares. It was just him and Raelyn in a soundproofed room.

Raelyn dragged his head down and kissed him softly. "Go ahead," she whispered. He kissed her as his hand flattened on her abdomen and a warm sensation flowed through her, accompanied by the turquoise glow of the Contraception Charm. Her toes curled appreciatively as he pushed into her.

"Stay with me tonight," he suggested hopefully, still slightly breathless afterward as he lay on top of her. Raelyn sighed and kissed his forehead, tasting his sweat on her lips.

"Okay," she agreed easily. He sighed in relief and rolled off of her.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," he laughed. Raelyn laughed too.

"Just tell me where you threw my clothes."

"Around."

"You're useless."

"Not completely. I _do_ make you scream."

"I didn't scream."

"You wanted to."

"But I didn't."

"That's not denial."

"It's not agreement either."

"We could always test the theory again..." he said suggestively.

Realyn smiled at her friend in the dark. "I don't think so. Nice try, though."

She heard Seth sigh in defeat and then his low grumble of, "Fine!" She collected her tank top and underwear from the floor, tossing Seth his boxers before pulling her own articles of clothing on and crawling into Seth's bed beside him. As usual, as soon as she was lying down, Seth's arm wound it's way around her and pulled her right up against him.

"G'night, Rae," he mumbled into her hair, his breath warming the back of her neck.

"Night, Seth," she replied sleepily before letting sleep engross her mind.

**Author's Note** REVIEW PEOPLE! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! I would truly appreciate it very much and I do answer all reviews as soon as I read them!


	11. Chapter 8

**Author's Note** So I got three reviews after my last update, though two were from the same person. I thoroughly appreciate that person's dedication to my story though! And thank you to my other reviewer as well! Here's Chapter 8! I hope you guys like it!**  
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**Last Chapter** She crawled into Seth's bed beside him. As usual, as soon as she was lying down, Seth's arm wound its way around her and pulled her right up against him.

"G'night, Rae," he mumbled into her hair, his breath warming the back of her neck.

"Night, Seth," she replied sleepily before letting sleep capture her mind.

**Chapter 8**

The sunlight on her eyelids awoke her the next morning. She opened her eyes, abruptly closing them again as the bright yellow sun streamed in through the open drapes, burning her retinas into watery submission. She hesitantly opened her eyes a crack, only enough for her to see clearly, recognizing the room as Seth's.

Behind her, the boy in question continued to snooze, his eyes protected from the light as they were buried in Raelyn's neck, his arm wrapped possessively around her. His dark hair was visible in amongst her platinum blond strands. She debated the best way to make her escape without waking him. She decided it was best to go about it slowly and with as little abrupt movement as possible. Therefore, she carefully began to unlatch Seth's arm from around her body, pausing as he groaned in his sleep, before continuing, slowly rolling away from him. Once free, she swung her feet to the floor as gently as possible, looking back at Seth, waiting for him to wake with a start and demand to know where she was going. Thankfully, though, luck was on her side today and she managed to spring across the floor to her bra and pajama pants, gather them up, and slink out the door, that mercifully never creaked.

Once in the dimmer hallway, she almost sprinted to her room, hoping with all her might that she'd be lucky enough to avoid Segan and her questioning. She let out a sigh of relief as her hand made contact with her door knob and she pushed her door open. No incidents to speak of, thank Merlin. She shut her door quietly and turned around, only to curse. Lady Luck had been playing a dirty joke on her. Bloody hell!

"Good morning, my love," Segan sang from Raelyn's bed, where she was perched quite comfortably. Judging by the book resting on her friend's stomach, her finger holding her page, Segan had geared herself up for a lengthy wait.

"Morning, Segan," Raelyn replied grudgingly and proceeded to toss her clothes into a corner. The fact that she was clad in nothing but a tank top and a pair of underwear didn't even faze either girl. Raelyn swept past Segan and disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind herself.

"So where have you been all morning and all night, missy?" Segan inquired from the other side of the door. Raelyn grumbled to herself about nosy best friends while she stripped the rest of her clothes off and wrapped a fluffy green towel around herself. This was, actually, the first look she'd gotten at the bathroom. It was quite unremarkable, to be truthful. It held a toilet in one corner, followed by a marble counter inlaid with a sink, a medicine cabinet hung above the sink, and a floor-to-ceiling shower stood proudly in the corner, its door doubling as a full length mirror.

She opened her bathroom door to admit Segan, who came in and seated herself on the counter top, smiling expectantly at Raelyn.

"What?" Raelyn demanded.

"You never answered my question."

Raelyn paused, staring thoughtfully at her curvy friend, trying to conjure up a believable lie, but nothing came to her, so reluctantly she admitted, "Seth's room."

"And you slept with him," she stated, not questioned.

Raelyn rolled her eyes and stepped into the shower. A light was inlaid into the ceiling of the shower and as Raelyn removed her towel and turned to the door to toss it back out, she realized the mirror was in fact a two-way mirror, designed so she could see out, but no one could see in. She tossed her towel out onto the floor, where Segan snatched it up and folded it neatly, placing it on top of the toilet. Raelyn turned the knobs to turn on the shower and waited for Segan to say something.

"So how was it?" she finally asked as Raelyn was pouring shampoo into her palm.

"Fine," she replied.

"Fine?" was Segan's doubtful reply. "C'mon, you have to give me something better than that."

"Segan, you've heard about it a million times!" Raelyn exaggerated considerably, but still sent the same message. Segan had asked Raelyn the same question every time Raelyn had slept with Seth, and the reply was always exceptional.

"Well I'm never going to get to experience it!" she whined from the counter top. She began to play with the taps, turning them on and off.

"Don't you hate Seth? Why would you want to sleep with him?" Raelyn countered.

"Well I hear all the girls at school talking about him and how amazing he is and how he's a supposed sex god and I just can't help but wonder if he's as good as Macon?"

Raelyn laughed. Segan had lost her virginity to Macon towards the end of fifth year. It was her sixteenth birthday, to be exact - June 1st. It took a lot of convincing, since Macon really didn't want to take that from her. He kept telling her to save it for when she fell in love, but Segan wasn't having any of it. Out of the four of them, she had been the last one to lose it, and as far as she was concerned, she was already too far behind. So, at last, Macon had consented, but only, he'd said, since it was her birthday. Since then, Segan had only slept with Macon and once with a Muggle boy when she'd gone to a Muggle party and gotten quite drunk.

"Why don't you ask him to show you?" Raelyn teased and was rewarded with a screech from her best friend.

"Raelyn! You know he'd never do anything of the sort!"

"Would you like me to ask him for you?"

"NO!"

"Okay, I'll ask him after breakfast."

"No! Raelyn!"

"You know you want to Segan!"

"So?"

"HA!"

"What? Ugh! Whatever! But the point is that you never tell me anything!"

"What's there to tell, Segan? You've heard it all before. Yes, okay, it was amazing, as always, but I think you'll have to experience it for yourself before you can compare him and Macon, okay?"

"Or you could compare them for me?"

Raelyn was squeezing body wash onto her loofa and she threw a hesitating glance at the dark haired girl waiting hopefully on her counter top. Raelyn had slept with Macon before, but only once. She didn't think that was enough to go by, plus she didn't like talking about it with Segan, or anyone, really. The truth was, she felt kind of bad about sleeping with Macon. It didn't seem fair to her that she should have access to both boys when Segan only had one. So since then she'd left Macon to Segan and stuck with Seth. Macon had never seemed to mind.

"I only slept with him once, Segan, and it was a long time ago," Raelyn finally answered. It had been ten days before the start of sixth year. They'd been on vacation in Egypt with Segan and Seth. Segan had been off shopping at the time, and Seth had disappeared with one or two of the Egyptian girls, leaving Macon and Raelyn to their own devices. Boredom had taken control and they'd ended up in Raelyn's room and things had happened. Of course when Segan had gotten back from her shopping trip and taken one look at Macon, she'd known something had happened. Macon could never hide anything from her. Some Slytherin he was! After a prolonged interrogation Macon had finally said, "Raelyn" at which point she'd turned to go find the girl in question. Raelyn had expected Segan to be mad, but she was oddly alright with it - happy, even. It had been too weird for Raelyn and she'd made a point to avoid Segan and Macon for the rest of the trip.

"Oh, come on, Raelyn! It wasn't that long ago! Only, like, a year ago."

"More than that, Segan!"

"I'm sorry, did you want the exact number of days?"

"My point is, a lot can change in that much time. Who knows?"

"Well then why don't you sleep with Macon again?"

"Segan!"

"What? It would be purely experimental!"

"Merlin, Segan! He's not a potion ingredient!"

"Well I'm sure he wouldn't mind! He _is_ a guy after all!"

"Segan!"

"What all I'm saying is-"

"No! Now pass me my towel?"

Segan huffed as Raelyn watched her through the door. "Fine!" She hopped daintily off the counter, swiping the towel off of the toilet and holding it out to the door, facing the other way. Raelyn grabbed it from her with a thank you and wrapped it around herself before exiting the shower.

"So you really don't know which one is better?" Segan asked, in a last bout of hopefulness.

"I really don't," Raelyn assured her. Segan heaved a sigh and walked into the main room while Raelyn brushed her teeth. When she followed Segan, she found that her friend had laid out her school uniform for her and was staring out the window, eyes out of focus. Unnoticed, Raelyn pulled on the underwear Segan had chosen for her, while the towel remained around her, followed by the matching bra. This was when you knew you had a real friend: when they even remembered to pick out your underwear for you. She dropped the towel as she was covered in all the right places and was in the midst of pulling on her skirt when her door opened abruptly. There was only one person who would barge into her room, unannounced and with no sign of an emergency.

"Ooh, I like it," Seth said, eying her up and down.

"Out, Seth," Raelyn ordered, not missing a beat.

"Fine, fine," he said, disappointed, "I just came to let you know that McGonagall wants us down at the Durmstrang castle in ten minutes for breakfast. From there, she'll tell us what we're doing for the rest of the day."

"Thanks, bye!" Raelyn called, happily waving as her friend shut the door.

"He just walks through the door all the time? No knock? Or warning or anything?" Segan asked, shocked.

"Uh huh," Raelyn confirmed, buttoning her blouse and then moving on to her tie.

"That's so... rude!" she exclaimed, having found no word more suitable.

"Yeah, well, being a sex god's best friend comes at a price," Raelyn said dryly, reusing the word Segan had used earlier to describe the tall, dark, and handsome boy who'd stood in her doorway only a moment before.

**Author's Note **You like? Review!


	12. Chapter 9

**Author's Note** Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever! I've just been slacking off horribly, I suppose. I even have up to Chapter 15 written as I just discovered today! Just before we continue with the story I have one anonymous review to address.

_me-no-have-name-XD_ Thanks so much for your review! I don't know if you're reading this because it _has_ been a while, but I hope you are and I hope you like this chapter :)

Okay, onward!

**Last Chapter **"He just walks through the door all the time? No knock? Or warning or anything?" Segan asked, shocked.

"Uh huh," Raelyn confirmed, buttoning her blouse and then moving on to tying her tie.

"That's so... rude!" she exclaimed, having found no word more suitable.

"Yeah, well, being a sex god's best friend comes at a price," Raelyn said dryly, reusing the word Segan had used earlier to describe the tall, dark, and handsome boy who'd stood in her doorway only a moment before.

**Chapter 9**

Raelyn made the trek to the Durmstrang castle with Segan by her side, Macon having gone ahead with Seth. They were both now properly dressed for the cold weather with their cloaks and scarves wrapped around them tightly. They wound their way through all the Durmstrang cabins, boys pouring out of them left and right. The powder blue uniforms of the Beauxbatons girls could be seen trickling in from the other side of the small village, clashing shockingly with the darker colours of Hogwarts and Durmstrang, their Headmistress at their forefront, leading them in two orderly lines behind her. Obviously, McGonagall didn't feel the need to hover over her students as this woman was doing.

Raelyn dragged her eyes back towards the castle, just in time to catch site of the boy standing in front of her. She managed to stop before colliding with him. Segan, however, was not so lucky. Raelyn laughed.

"Oh, no!" the boy suddenly exclaimed, grasping Segan's upper arm as she stumbled.

"I'm terribly sorry," Segan apologized.

"Oh, no, no need. It vas my fault. How are you today, Miss Segan?" was the boy's reply. Surprised that the boy knew her friend by name, Raelyn glanced up curiously into his face. It was the same boy from last night – Rodney; that had been his name!

"Oh! Rodney! Hi!" cried Segan, as startled as Raelyn had been. "Um, I'm fine. Sorry 'bout bumping into you. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Rodney smiled kindly. "There is no need for apologies. Bump into me any time you like."

"Um... Thanks," Segan said awkwardly, but smiled genuinely the whole time. Raelyn almost laughed again, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, since English was definitely his second language. She reached out for Segan's hand and Segan accepted it, allowing the blond to tug her onward.

When Rodney fell into step beside them it was unexpected.

"So did you both enjoy the feast last night?" he asked them.

"It was quite nice, actually. Hogwarts doesn't have all that different food," Segan answered conversationally.

"Ve don't usuaully, either," Rodney revealed with a small smile. "It must be for you and the Beauxbatons students that ve haf all this extra food."

"Really? Your kitchens must have gone through so much trouble."

Rodney shrugged. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I suppose." They were now climbing the steps to the big doors. Rodney, being the gentleman he was, opened the door for them and insisted both girls enter ahead of him. The Goblet of Fire burned on in the centre of the entrance hall, casting a blue-white glow over the floor around it. A gold circle surrounded the pedestal - the Age Line, most likely. Raelyn watched it, entranced for a moment, before returning her attention to their destination.

"You know, it vould be nice if ve could talk again later. Ve didn't have much time to talk last night, or this morning either," Rodney was saying to Segan, "Vould you honour me vith your presence after classes, perhaps? Raelyn, you are more than velcome as vell."

"Oh-" Raelyn began to politely refuse before being interrupted by Segan.

"That would be lovely," she said. "Where shall I meet you?"

Rodney had been smiling before; now he was grinning ear to ear. "I tell you vhat. I vill meet you at your table after classes are over. Does that agree vith you?"

Segan beamed. "Yes, it does. I'll see you then."

"Vonderful, I look forward to it," Rodney said truthfully as they parted ways to go sit down. Unfortunately for Segan, she and Rodney were not seated as they were last night. Instead the only seats remaining were as far from one another as the tables would allow. Rodney's friends took up the seats closest to the Hogwarts tables and the boys and Vanessa had taken up residence in the seats closest to the Durmstrang boys. The two chairs between Seth and Macon were left empty for the girls. They took their respective seats and began filling their plates. Their breakfast partners were already scarfing down bacon, toast, cereal, and all manner of breakfast food. Apparently beer and wine were not customary breakfast beverages, and had been replaced with coffee, tea, juice, and milk.

Raelyn could hear Segan chatting excitedly to Macon about her most recent conversation with Rodney and so Raelyn turned to glance at Seth, who was looking at her blankly.

"What?" she asked him, biting off a piece of bacon and chewing it while still giving her friend a thoughtful look.

"You were gone when I woke up," he said simply.

"So? I wanted to avoid Segan and her nosiness," replied Raelyn calmly.

Seth's mouth twitched upwards, but no real smile revealed itself. "And how did that go?" he inquired mockingly.

"Terribly. She was waiting for me when I got to my room."

Amusement flickered in Seth's eyes. Raelyn decided to shock him so she leaned a bit closer to him and whispered, "She wants to sleep with you, by the way."

Sure enough, surprise clouded his features momentarily. "Really? Well, now, that _is_ interesting. How'd you find this out?"

Sighing, Raelyn delved into her explanation, still speaking quietly so as not to attract too much attention. "Well, she was waiting for me when I got to my room and started interrogating me about what I'd done and if it was any good-"

"What'd you say?" Seth asked with a smirk.

"Don't worry about it," was her firm reply, effectively wiping the smirk off her friend's face before continuing. "Anyway, she said she just can't help but wonder if you were as good as Macon." At this point, Raelyn couldn't force back a small smile.

"And what did you say?" Seth questioned once more.

"I avoided the question."

Seth leaned forward. "Well then what do you think?" His eyes had taken on that searing quality they got when he was intensely interested in the answer.

"I really can't answer that. It was too long ago."

Sighing, Seth sat back in his chair, disappointed. "I'm better," he insisted.

"I think you'll have to prove that to Segan," Raelyn insisted.

"Maybe I will," Seth said thoughtfully. Raelyn almost choked.

"You're seriously considering this?" she asked in shock.

"Why not? I'm not cruel enough to let her die without knowing what it's like," was his arrogant reply. "Besides, I have more experience. Therefore, that makes me better."

"I'm sure she's not missing much."

"Oh, come on, now, Rae, you know that's not true."

Raelyn glanced at him from where she was focused on buttering her toast. "Sure," Raelyn said sarcastically, intentionally trying to get a rise out of him.

"You're just jealous," he declared, as if it made perfect sense.

"Seth, you're a whore," she pointed out flatly. "How is it that you can sleep with the entire female population at Hogwarts and I remain indifferent, but suddenly you want to have a go with my best friend, and that sets me off?"

"Look, Raelyn, you can join in if you want," he offered jokingly.

Raelyn chuckled. "I'll pass, but if you're interested, go for it."

"You don't think she'd to refuse me?"

"Since when is Seth Daryll afraid of being rejected? You're never rejected."

"Well I've never tried to seduce someone who hates me either."

"But Segan wants to, even if she does hate you."

"Hmm..."

"Don't tell her I mentioned this, though. She'll try to kill me. Just pretend she's suddenly become extremely attractive to you."

"Well she's never been ugly to me."

"Well, whatever, you know what I mean."

Breakfast continued on without a hitch; however when the Durmstrang students were released for classes, the Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students were asked to stay behind. The dining hall emptied of everyone, save for the visiting students and their Headmistresses. McGonagall strode purposefully towards them.

"As I said before, you're all still expected to attend classes while we're here. They'll be held in my carriage and don't be trying any funny business because I'll be addressing my own duties, as well."

"But how are we supposed to attend classes when all our teachers are back in England?" Natasha Walker inquired anxiously. Ravenclaws were always focused on their studies. Raelyn wasn't even sure why McGonagall bothered to bring any. They probably weren't even that interested in the Tournament.

"You'll see, come along!" McGonagall clipped, beginning her brisk walk out of the dining room. The Hogwarts students scrambled to follow her unexpected departure. She explained as they walked, "Your classes will run at their normal times, of course, however you will not be able to ask questions and will not be acknowledged by your teachers, as they cannot see or hear you. I can answer whatever questions you have. You will, of course, still be expected to complete any homework assigned and take notes as you usually would. Keep in mind that this _is_ your N.E.W.T. year."

McGonagall opened her carriage door and stepped inside herself, the students hesitating outside, apprehensive of what lay beyond. "Well, get in here! You're all letting in the cold!" McGonagall snapped from somewhere inside. Her voice seemed to echo. All the students jumped to attention and clambered through the small door.

The interior of the carriage was much more impressive than the interior of the student's carriages. They'd walked into a smaller version of an entrance hall, though it was still impressive. It was square, with a circle of desks in its centre, all facing in towards one another. Several doors branched off the entrance, but all were closed to them.

"Well, take a seat. Your first class of the day will be starting soon!" hustled their Headmistress. They two dozen teenagers obeyed silently, uneasily taking up residence at a desk, staring around at each other curiously. No one had a clue what was going on.

"Okay, now, let's see..." McGonagall had pulled out her wand and was now swirling it around in the air. Before each student a small blue ball appeared. Muttering broke out amongst the students as each of them picked the piece up curiously, examining it with wonder. It looked and felt like a rolled up piece of chewing gum. "These are called Movement Tuners. You place them in your ears and wait. They're programmed to tune into each of your individual classes as soon as the bell rings at Hogwarts, which is when you'll be able to see and hear your teacher as they teach the rest of your classmates at school. You'll get the same amount of time between classes as you would at school and are free to do as you please with that time, but our regular school rules apply. If you have a spare period, then there is a sitting room through that door there-" she paused to brandish at a door to her right, "- and a library through that door there-" she brandished to the door on her left, "-or you may go back to your own carriage or explore the grounds if you prefer. You have... three minutes before your classes' start, so I suggest you prepare yourselves as appropriate. You know your schedules. Potion ingredients and lesson props are in the closet beside the library. I'll be in my office."

With that, she turned on her heel and headed towards the door in the precise centre of the wall opposite the front door, where she turned the knob, entered, and closed the door.

"So we can basically do whatever we want, right? She can't hear us?" Charles Whitmore, a Gryffindor, asked.

McGonagalls voice came clearly through the solid wood door. "No, Mr Whitmore, I can still both see and hear you. Behave yourselves."

Everyone was exchanging glances, but eventually snapped back to action, pulling out their texts, notebooks, cauldrons, and quills. Raelyn had her Charms things spread out on her desk in front of her as she picked up the Movement Tuner and positioned it comfortably in her ear. On contact, it melded perfectly to the inside of her ear with a squirmy warm feeling, and then it was if it wasn't there at all. She could still hear her fellow students around her as they organized themselves as well.

Suddenly, in her ear she heard a bell ring faintly. A series of things followed after this. Flitwick appeared in the centre of the circle of desks, White diamonds appeared over the heads of half the class, which she realized was the half that were in her Charms class at school, and the remaining students dimmed to something closer to ghosts.

"Yes, yes, Mr Cherry, I'll see you after class. Everyone settle down now, please. We have a class to get through!" It was a bit of a shock to Raelyn, how realistic he looked, like if she reached out, she could touch him. The class had apparently calmed, and so Flitwick began his lesson, "So today we'll be discussing..." Raelyn dipped her quill in the ink pot and placed its tip on the parchment in front of her. Taking classes like this for the rest of the year was bound to be interesting.

**Author's Note** So, drop me a review and let me know what you think! Like I said, I have up till Chapter 15 written, so I'll be updating soon if I get enough reviews!


	13. Chapter 10

**Last Chapter** It was a bit of a shock to Raelyn, how realistic Flitwick looked, like if she reached out, she could touch him. The class had apparently calmed, and so Flitwick began his lesson, "So today we'll be discussing..." Raelyn dipped her quill in the ink pot and placed its tip on the parchment in front of her. Taking classes like this for the rest of the year was bound to be interesting.

**Chapter 10**

The final bell rang and Raelyn removed the Movement Tuner from her ear and dropped it into a small pocket in her back pack. McGonagall had reappeared as the students were packing up.

"You've got some free time before dinner to do with as you will; however, I do expect you to be on your best behaviour. You're all dismissed. Oh, and after dinner today the Beauxbatons girls will be entering their names into the Goblet of Fire. We will be entering next Thursday. Goodbye." With that she shooed them out of her carriage into the cool Durmstrang climate. As soon as the door was shut, Raelyn was confronted with an overly excited best friend.

"Raelyn, could you take my bag to our carriage? I have to go meet Rodney!"

"Uh... Okay," Raelyn said hesitantly.

Segan squealed happily, "Thanks!" before dropping her bag at Raelyn's feet and dashing off towards the castle at a break-neck speed. By the time Raelyn had returned her attention to the dark haired girl's bag, Macon had already picked it up and slung it over his shoulder, throwing a glance across the grounds at the running girl.

"Thanks, Macon," Raelyn said appreciatively with a smile for him.

He smiled back. "Don't worry about it."

They traipsed back to their carriage, only a few yards away, and entered it behind Stryder and Vanessa. They dropped their things at a random table and dropped into the table's corresponding seats. Raelyn pulled out one assignment of many and commenced working on it. Macon did the same, while Seth had disappeared, leaving his bag and cloak at the table. She wondered vaguely where he'd gone, and when he reappeared a moment later minus his school uniform, she asked him where he was going.

"Out," he answered shortly.

"That's an answer?" Macon countered.

"I'm going to see what kind of fun Beauxbatons brought with them," elaborated Seth.

"Is your goal to sleep with all of them before the end of June?" Raelyn joked.

Her friend grinned devilishly at her before answering, "Only the good looking ones."

Raelyn laughed and Macon chuckled as Seth collected his cloak and left the carriage with a small wave to them.

They worked through until the dinner bell rang, at which point they packed their things up and joined the hoard of hungry Durmstrang boys on their way to the dining hall. Raelyn caught sight of Seth in amongst the Beauxbatons students, a girl on each arm and a small entourage. She shook her head and smiled, looking up to see Macon doing the same.

"He's a charmer," Macon offered.

"That he is," Raelyn agreed, entering the school ahead of Macon, as he always insisted she do.

They had only just settled themselves at their table when Segan was gently thrust into the seat beside Raelyn, a pout on her face. Raelyn glanced up, surprised, and found Rodney standing above her with an amused smile on his face.

"Yes, we have to eat," he was saying. "I'm _starving_,Segan!"

"Eating's over-rated," she declared as soon as Rodney had left for his seat at the table beside theirs.

"I don't know..." Seth contradicted, dropping into the last available seat which just happened to be beside Segan. "Seems kind of essential to me... Some bullshit about needing to live. I don't know."

"Shut up, Seth," Segan hissed, in a foul mood over having to split with Rodney and now her least favourite person was sitting beside her. Seth, remarkably, made no biting retort and both Macon and Raelyn looked up at him in surprise. Even Segan hesitated a shocked glance. Of course, Seth's attention was elsewhere, smiling and waving charmingly at the few trailing Beauxbatons girls who were passing by their table. They giggled and waved shyly back, scurrying for their table while whispering amongst themselves and throwing covetous glances over their shoulders. Seth slowly turned back to find his friends staring at him with varying expressions on their faces.

"Sorry, were you saying something?" he asked, half arrogant, and half apologetic as if he really had no idea what was going on.

The remainder of the week passed much the same as the first day of classes. They got to know their way around Durmstrang and its grounds a bit more, but mostly kept to themselves. Segan, however, was a very big exception. Raelyn hadn't seen much of her best friend since she'd become so enamoured with Rodney. Seth, even, was around less as he'd found fresh meat amongst the Beauxbatons girls. Raelyn wasn't much bothered by it, but Macon seemed a little lost without Segan. She had kept him pretty busy, what with her talking and trouble-causing habits, but now he had no one to look after.

Finally the weekend arrived in a minor blizzard, basically confining everyone to their carriages. A venture to the castle was a bit too much to fathom for they'd taken to conjuring sweets and drinks to sustain them.

Late Saturday night, Raelyn had been relaxing in her room with a plate of cookies, a butterbeer, and a good book, when she was so rudely disturbed by her door being swung open without warning. Not bothering to look away from her page, she sighed, "What is it, Seth?" She hadn't seen him since the afternoon before when he took off after their classes were over. There was no answer so she looked up curiously and turned the page slowly. The boy in question was leaning against her doorway with a far off look in his eyes. Stryder passed by, glancing at him curiously on his way down the stairs. "Well are you going to come in, or stand there all day? You're attracting attention." Seth seemed to snap out of it, since he stepped into her room and shut the door behind him.

"Rae, I didn't think it was possible to be this tired," he confided in her before dropping down on her bed beside her. She chuckled softly.

"Well where have you been, Seth?" she asked, chancing a glance at the clock on her night stand. "It's three thirty a.m. I haven't seen you since four o'clock yesterday afternoon."

"Those Beauxbatons girls are fiends," he mumbled into her pillow.

"Well they do go to an all girls' school," Raelyn pointed out. "They're probably raping the Durmstrang boys, too."

Seth lifted his face from her linens to look at her. "There were so many of them," he continued.

"Seth, ew-"

"Not all at once, don't worry," he assured her. "I haven't had a wink of sleep since Thursday night."

"I know you like sex, Seth, but why do you do this to yourself?" Raelyn scolded, marking her place in her book and getting up off the bed.

"'Cause I _really_ like sex, and these girls were _really_ willing," was her friend's answer. At her sharp look he shrugged his shoulders innocently. "Who am I to refuse them?"

That's when it dawned on her. "You're drunk, too, aren't you, Seth?" she accused.

He squinted up at her and managed to raise his arm, his thumb and forefinger almost touching. "A little bit," he agreed.

Raelyn rolled her eyes. "Well, whatever, why don't you go to your room and go to sleep. Tomorrow's Sunday, you can sleep in."

"Mmmm... I'm staying here. It's warm and you're here."

"You're such a baby," Raelyn teased, looking around for her pyjamas.

"Mmm, you must be one really bad pedophile," he retorted rudely, attempting to divest himself of his clothes. Raelyn ignored his comment, found her pyjamas, and changed quickly while Seth continued to struggle against himself.

"You're your own worst enemy, Seth, I swear," she growled. Regardless, she stalked over to him, pulled his shirt over his head and forced him to turn over so she could pull his jeans off.

"You need to undress me more often," he commented suggestively, miraculously finding the energy to hop under the blankets in nothing but his boxers and socks.

"If I did, you'd be even sleepier than you are now," Raelyn countered, shutting off the lights and feeling her way to her bed.

Seth's hand reached out to pull her down beside him. "I've always got one more in me for you, love. Wanna have a go?" He pressed a kiss to the exposed flesh on her neck, making her shiver and smile slyly.

"I think I'll survive until morning, Seth," she giggled, snuggling under the blankets, where Seth wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest.

"If you say so," he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck one last time before relaxing. No more than two minutes later he was fast asleep. Raelyn smiled at his even breathing. _One more, my ass_, she mused as she let sleep cloud her mind.

The next morning Raelyn was awoken by Seth stirring beside her, trying slyly to slide out of her bed without waking her. He was terrible at it; always had been. She could only remember once when he'd actually accomplished it. She, however, was amazing at it.

"You fail miserably at sneakiness, Seth," she groaned, opening her eyes a slit. She could see that the sun was shining outside behind her heavy drapes. The clock told her it was half past noon. She rolled onto her back to face her friend. He was propped up on one elbow, looking down at her, smiling softly.

"Who says I was trying to be sneaky?" he challenged, his free hand crossing her stomach to grip her hip. "Maybe I wanted to wake you up."

"That's rather rude," Raelyn said pointedly.

Seth grinned and quickly kissed her lips. "You promised me a go in the morning. It's now afternoon. I demand reimbursement."

Raelyn laughed, pushing him away. "I promised you nothing of the sort, Seth," she insisted, throwing back the blankets covering her and making to get out of bed, but Seth had wrapped an arm around her and dragged her back against him.

"I do believe," he contradicted, kissing his way from her shoulder to her ear. "I offered you a go last night and you said you'd be fine until the morning."

As nice as his lips felt, Raelyn held strong. "That doesn't sound like a promise to me. Besides, I don't know who you've been in since you've been gone."

"I couldn't tell you their names either," Seth admitted, pulling away and releasing her.

"Ugh, you're brutal, Seth," Raelyn scolded him, a little disgusted by the boy. How he could go around sleeping with girls whose names he didn't even know was beyond her. She padded to the bathroom in her bare feet, switching on the tap and grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste. Seth slipped in behind her as she started brushing. He put the toilet lid down and sat on it, grabbing her mouthwash from the counter and taking a swig. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, rest his head back and swish the green liquid around in his mouth with his eyes closed. Sometimes his behaviour shocked her.

"Seth, how many girls have you slept with exactly?" she asked, genuinely curious. Seth's eyes snapped open and he regarded her in the mirror for a moment, leaned across her, and spat the mouthwash into the sink. The water washed it away quickly.

"More than you have," he evaded the question expertly.

Raelyn rolled her eyes at him. "Obviously. I'm straight."

"So am I."

"You know what I mean!"

Seth sighed and heaved himself up, wrapping his arms around Raelyn's waist and squeezing slightly. They studied each other in the mirror. His tan skin was a startling contrast against her pale white skin; his black hair looked like coal when mixed with her platinum blond strands, her icy blue eyes startling next to his almost-black ones. Suddenly he buried his face in her neck and kissed her softly.

"I've slept with enough girls," he spoke into her shoulder quietly. "But you're my favourite. Always have been, always will be."

"I'm not jealous, Seth," she said honestly.

He lifted his head back up to look at her. He was smiling. "I know, and I appreciate that." He kissed her temple and stepped away from her.

"Anyway, I'm going to go get dressed," he told her. "I'll see you later?" Raelyn nodded mutely and Seth disappeared. She heard her bedroom door click shut after him. He confused her sometimes. This was one of those times. Shaking her head, she stripped and hopped into the shower. She'd forget about it, she decided.


	14. Chapter 11

**Author's Note** Hello everyone! I'd just like the thank the four people who reviews my last chapter. I really appreciate your input! Also, it has just been brought to my attention that I accidentally uploaded Chapter 10 again for Chapter 11, so here's the REAL chapter 11. Sorry guys! I feel like an idiot! Hahaha!

**Last Chapter** Seth kissed her temple and stepped away from her.

"Anyway, I'm going to go get dressed," he told her. "I'll see you later?" Raelyn nodded mutely and Seth disappeared. She heard her bedroom door click shut after him. He confused her sometimes. This was one of those times. Shaking her head, she stripped and hopped into the shower. She'd forget about it, she decided.

**Chapter 11**

The Dining Hall was alive with excitement when dinner ended, the Hogwarts tables especially. As the dishes disappeared, the torches in the vast room dimmed and everyone was reduced to a shadow. The sound of the heavy oak doors being thrown open caused everyone's head to turn towards the source of the noise. Mr. Small entered, his massive, heavy footsteps thudding against the flagstone floor, his face illuminated by the white-blue flames in the Goblet held before him. Two muscular Durmstrang boys preceded him with the pedestal the Goblet had been placed upon in the Entrance Hall. They made their way to the front of the Hall and up onto the raised platform. In the middle of the semi-circle, they placed the pedestal down and Mr Small followed suit with the Goblet of Fire. The three of them cleared off and Ianneillo stood, looping around to stand behind the object.

"Well, as most of you know, tonight is the night Hogwarts is to enter themselves in the Goblet of Fire for consideration. Does this still agree with you Professor McGonagall?" His head turned to regard the severe headmistress, who inclined her head in acquiescence. "Wonderful. I would now ask the students of Hogwarts to please come forward with your names?"

Raelyn rose with the rest of her table and filed past all the Durmstrang boys. The Beauxbatons girls watched them haughtily, flipping their hair and whispering amongst themselves. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs beat them to the dais so The Slytherins fell in line behind them, followed by the Gryffindors bringing up the rear. Raelyn watched the line progress. Some students looked nervous, others looked determined. Emily Anderson from Hufflepuff looked like she would keel over and die the moment her paper was incinerated in the blue flame; Matthew MacDonald from Ravenclaw looked like his dinner was going to come back to haunt him. The Slytherins came next. Segan dropped her paper in with a small smile, Macon, Raelyn, and Seth dropped theirs in with blank expressions. Vanessa looked a bit nervous; Stryder did so with a huge smirk. The Gryffindors proceeded to submit their names, all with varying degrees of determination on their faces. As much as Raelyn hated to admit it, a Gryffindor would probably be the Hogwarts Champion. The last students watched their names burn up, joined the rest of Hogwarts, and they all filed back to their seats.

Ianneillo stepped forward once more. "Thank you, Hogwarts. I'm sure we're all very excited to see who is chosen, but we'll have to wait until Halloween. Durmstrang, you have a week to finish submitting your names. Halloween creeps closer, boys. Dismissed!" The scraping of chairs and chatter filled the formerly silent Hall as everyone started towards the doors. Seth materialized beside Raelyn.

"Money says it's a Gryffindor," he muttered lowly, motioning for her to go through the door ahead of him.

Raelyn obliged, nodding her head. "Uh huh," she replied cynically, "The goody two shoes always steal the spotlight."

"Actually, the last legal Hogwarts champion was a Hufflepuff," Macon offered, towing Segan along by the hand.

"Hufflepuff?" Seth echoed, his face twisting in disappointment, "That's even worse. Wimps, the lot of them." A passing Hufflepuff threw Seth a dirty look, but knew better than to say anything.

"Have you seen Rodney anywhere, Raelyn?" asked Segan eagerly.

"Nope, was he even at dinner?"

"I didn't see him. Do you think everything's okay?"

"I'm sure he's fine, Segan."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"But what if-"

"Christ's sake Segan!" Seth interrupted irritably. "He's a big boy. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"How should you know, Seth?" the girl snapped back venomously.

"Because I can see him right there! And he's in one piece. Not a scratch or bruise on him. Fuck, Segan!" the boy growled, jerking his head towards the front doors, where, sure enough, Rodney was standing, scouring the crowd.

And just like that Segan was off and bounding to his side. Seth snorted in disgust, pushing through the crowd, Raelyn and Macon behind him, until he burst into the cool evening air.

They were walking silently to their carriage when Seth suddenly said "Let's get pissed."

Raelyn almost tripped. "Seth, it's Thursday," she said.

"So?" Seth countered, confused.

"You would think that would be self-explanatory..." Macon muttered.

"Come onnnn," Seth pleaded.

"Why not get drunk with the Beauxbatons girls?" Raelyn asked. "I'm sure they'd oblige you."

"Rae, we've barely spent any time together since we've been here," Seth answered.

"So you want to spend that time together drunk?"

"Yes, of course. Come on! We haven't celebrated being here yet!"

Raelyn sighed. "What are we drinking?"

Seth grinned triumphantly. "I came prepared. How does Firewhiskey sound to you?"

Raelyn gagged. Macon answered flatly, "Terrible."

Seth was opening their carriage door as he said, "Great! I'll dig it out and meet you in the common room." He disappeared inside. Raelyn followed and watched him ascend the stairs and hurry to his room.

"We're really doing this?" Macon asked as he entered behind Raelyn and closed the door softly.

Raelyn sighed. "I guess so. He seems pretty adamant about it."

"But Firewhiskey...?" Macon whined.

"Man up, Macon," Raelyn teased and Macon laughed heartily as they descended into the common room. Raelyn sat in an armchair with her head resting on its back, eyes closed. She could hear Seth in his room above them riffling through his trunk. Finally she heard bottles clinking and footsteps crossing the floor. Stryder and Vanessa entered as Seth was coming down the stairs.

"Bloody hell, mate, are you getting a dragon drunk?" Stryder demanded. Raelyn looked over and sure enough, Seth was standing on the bottom step, three full bottles of amber liquid in his arms.

"No, Segan's out for the night," Seth quipped back. Stryder laughed gruffly. "You're welcome to join us, of course," Seth invited, "No dragons, I promise."

"As long as you're sure..." Stryder joked, following Seth over to the couches. Vanessa trailed silently behind him.

Seth conjured up five glasses and some sweets for them. Raelyn reached forward and snatched a cookie, munching on it as she watched him pour a generous amount of liquid into each glass.

"You aren't even going to mix it?" Stryder sounded disgusted.

"Man up, McCormick," Seth poked and Macon laughed again, harder. Raelyn joined him. As the glasses were distributed Raelyn pondered the degree of misery she'd be suffering through in the morning, She checked her watch; 7:30 p.m. Already she could tell it was going to be a long night.

Vanessa sniffed the contents of her glass and cringed. Raelyn smirked. It was sure to be quite an entertaining night, however.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Seth's voice. "Well, here is to... Durmstrang! Being here and, hopefully, participating in the Tournament!" He raised his glass and the others followed suit. "Cheers!" They all echoed him before taking a swing of their drinks.

A round of disgusted "ughs!" followed. Macon turned on the Wizarding Wireless to fill the silence as Stryder fished a deck of cards out of a drawer in the side table.

"Exploding Snap anyone?" he offered.

Four hours later they were all truly pissed. Stryder had already fallen down the stairs twice, Seth was outwardly flirting with Vanessa, who looked half asleep, and Raelyn and Macon were debating the pros and cons of dragons. The cards lay charred, sticky and forgotten amidst the ruins of the sweets and one and a half empty bottles of Firewhiskey. There was a burn mark in the rug from which Seth had attempted to siphon a spill and a broken glass was resting on a table, the cause of Raelyn's sliced up fingers. Segan chose that moment to open the carriage door. All eyes were drawn to her.

"Dammit the dragon's back..." Seth cursed, looking around wildly for his wand. Raelyn snatched it out of reach just in time. There was no need for a trip to the Hospital Ward... Especially since they hadn't a clue where it was.

"Segan!" Raelyn greeted gleefully. "Won't you join us? There's still plenty of Firewhiskey."

"Um," Segan hummed. She was rarely at a loss for words. "What happened to the rug?"

"Don't worry about it, come have a drink," Seth demanded, waving her over. Slowly, Segan approached her group of inebriated classmates. Seth was already pouring her a drink, or trying to. Some spilt onto the floor. Stryder raised his wand.

"No!" Raelyn scolded, snatching his wand from him as well. "Don't you think the rug has suffered enough?"

Stryder looked at her blankly. "I guess you're right... It's probably pretty thirsty..."

Everyone laughed. Seth set Segan's glass down before her. She'd taken up residence on the floor between Macon's feet. "You have some catching up to do," Macon teased, leaning forward in his chair to drape his long arms around her.

"You smell like alcohol," Segan commented, scrunching her nose at the scent.

"Shhh," Macon coaxed, stroking Segan's hair. Segan laughed and swatted him away. He sat back in his chair as Segan raised the glass to her lips and took a swig.

"Blah!" she spat, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

"Shhh," Macon reiterated and grinned at the dirty look he received from Segan.

Everyone had gone back to their original conversations and the night progressed. Sometime around three a.m. Macon and Raelyn agreed they were ready for bed. Stryer was asleep and drooling on the couch as it was and Vanessa had disappeared an hour ago.

On their stumble up the stairs Raelyn whispered, "Should we really be leaving them alone?"

Macon shrugged, glancing over the railing. "They seem to be getting along, oddly enough..." Raelyn glanced over as well and indeed, there were no wands drawn, no screaming or yelling. There wasn't even a dirty look between the two of them.

"That's not right..." Raelyn stated honestly.

"I know... It's unnatural," Macon agreed. Raelyn tripped and fell on the final step, landing on the second floor with a thud. Everyone knows how Dominos works, so she braced herself for the impact of Macon falling on top of her.

"God damn," he huffed, avoiding falling on most of her. "It's a good thing we're going to bed... G'night, Rae."

"Night, Macon," Raelyn returned as the boy disappeared into his room. She found her door and slipped inside. Without bothering to turn on the light, she stripped to her underwear and t-shirt and fell onto her bed, quickly cocooning herself in the soft down of her comforter.

As sleep came for her, her last prayers were for a merciful hangover. Thank god her first class wasn't until noon...

**Author's Note** So what does everyone think? I'm not sure how everyone will react to this chapter, not many drunken nights in most Harry Potter fics. Let me know in a review! Thanks, guys!


	15. Chapter 12

**Author's Note** Thanks for all the reviews guys! I really appreciate them!

**Last Chapter** "God damn," he huffed, avoiding falling on most of her. "It's a good thing we're going to bed... G'night, Rae."

"Night, Macon," Raelyn returned as the boy disappeared into his room. She found her door and slipped inside. Without bothering to turn on the light, she stripped to her underwear and t-shirt and fell onto her bed, quickly cocooning herself in the soft down of her comforter.

As sleep came for her, her last prayers were for a merciful hangover. Thank god her first class wasn't until noon...

**Chapter 12**

"Raelyn!" someone was hissing beside her.

"Mmm," Raelyn groaned in reply. Not a good idea... Everything hurt. She cracked an eye open and looked up at her best friend.

"Segan, what are you doing here? What time is it?" she demanded, her voice cracking, her mouth paper dry.

"Around nine," Segan answered. "Hey, um, Seth isn't here, is he?"

Confusion clouded Raelyn's mind. She hadn't remembered going to bed with Seth. Just to be sure she checked behind her. "No," she croaked. "Wait, why do you care where Seth is?"

"Um," Segan stalled, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Just wondering."

The pain of the hangover was beginning to clear Raelyn's mind. "What? You never just wonder about Seth, Segan." She sat up and fixed her friend with a doubtful stare. "What'd he do?"

"Uh, well..." Segan trailed off.

"Spit it out, Segan!" Raelyn snapped, hung over and still a little bit drunk.

"I slept with him, okay!"

Silence followed this admission. Suddenly Raelyn began to laugh and babble incoherently while her friend simply stood there sheepishly.

"So how was it?" Raelyn finally asked, pleased the tables had been turned.

Slowly, Segan answered, "Different."

"Different?"

"Macon and Seth just have different... techniques?"

Raelyn laughed again. Segan was nearing the colour of Gryffindor.

"Well shouldn't you know where he is then?" she finally said.

Segan shook her head. "He got up and never came back..."

"That bad huh?" Raelyn snorted at the disgruntled look on Segan's face. "I dunno... Ask Macon? Maybe he's seen him?" she suggested, snuggling back into bed. She didn't want to get up yet.

"Okay." Segan began to turn back to the door and then stopped. "You don't think he'll be mad, do you?"

Raelyn peeked out from under the covers and frowned. "Seth? No. He just got laid. Tell him to fuck off."

"No, not Seth!" Segan answered. "Macon!"

"Oh, I dunno. I doubt it... When have you ever seen Macon angry?"

"I don't know..." Segan answered, and opened Raelyn's door. She closed it as she stepped out into the hallway and Raelyn relaxed back into her mattress. She was just beginning to get comfortable again when she heard quick steps coming back down the hall. Her door swung open and Segan stood there grinning ear to ear.

"Oh my god, Raelyn, you have to come see this!" she gushed, already scouring Raelyn's room for the pajama pants she knew her friend would not be wearing.

"What is it?" Raelyn demanded sleepily. She was warm. Getting out of bed would instantly make her less warm.

Segan picked the flannel pants up off the floor and held them out to Raelyn, who reluctantly took them and began to put them on. "Just come. You have to see! Do you have a camera?"

"In my trunk, why?" Segan was already searching through Raelyn's mostly empty trunk for the camera. She didn't answer; only surfaced and led Raelyn out and down the hall. To Raelyn's confusion, Segan quietly eased open Macon's door and motioned for Raelyn to follow her.

"Look," she whispered lowly, pointing at the bed, where Macon and Seth both lay, fast asleep and oblivious to the girls' presence.

"Oh my god..." Raelyn whispered and began to laugh as quietly as she could, which made Segan laugh as well.

The two boys lay facing each other Macon's hand inches from Seth's arm, Seth clutching a pillow to his chest, his head laying flat on the mattress. Both boys wore nothing but their boxers. Segan raised the camera to her eye and snapped a picture. Macon twitched.

"They're going to kill us," Raelyn giggled to her friend as she snapped another picture.

"Go wake them up," Segan whispered back. "I want to see the looks on their faces when they realize they're now officially snuggle buddies."

Raelyn laughed out loud and Seth raised his head. "What?" he hoarsely asked, moving and knocking Macon in the process. He jerked away suddenly, tumbling off the side of the bed. "What the-" he began before being interrupted by the laughter of both girls and the flash of the camera. Macon was awake now.

Seeing Seth wrapped in his bed sheets on the floor, he sat upright. "Mate, what the hell?" he demanded of Seth. The camera flashed again.

"Me? You crawled into my bed!" Seth accused.

"I most certainly did not," Macon shot back. "Rae, open the door." Raelyn did as she was told. "Look, Daryll. _My_ name on _my_ door."

"No way..." Seth insisted, now on his feet and rushing to the door. "This has got to be a joke. I went to bed with..." And slowly he turned to Segan. He ran a hand through his hair as Raelyn and Segan cackled madly. "Bloody hell... I'm never drinking again... How'd I end up in here?"

Segan shook her head. "Couldn't tell you... You got up and left. Maybe you came back to the wrong room... The two of you are right next to one another." She couldn't stop laughing the entire time. For good measure, she snapped one more picture of each half naked boy.

Seth glared at her and growled, "Oh for the love of Merlin, Segan, what is with the camera this early in the morning? Wait, Segan, give me that camera!"

Segan bolted out the door screaming "Not a chance in hell, Daryll!" Seth ran after her. Raelyn and Macon heard a door slam and a lock click. Seth let loose a stream of filthy words cursing Segan, her mother, Merlin, the camera. He pounded relentlessly on the door as he yelled.

"Ugh! Shut the door, Rae!" Macon groaned, flopping back onto his bed. Again, Raelyn did as she was asked, but decided Macon's bed was just as comfortable and warm as hers, and she crossed the room and crawled in next to him. He made room and held out his arm for her to rest her head on his chest.

"What're you going to do with Segan?" Raelyn asked, snuggling in for a bit more sleep.

"Let Seth deal with her," Macon muttered. She heard him groping for his wand on the bedside table. "_Silencio_," he muttered and the pounding and screaming ended.

"Thank Merlin," Raelyn said appreciatively.

"Needed to be done," Macon agreed. They fell back to sleep until Macon's alarm went off at eleven a.m. Raelyn's groan was echoed by Macon's as they both came to.

"I'm still drunk," Macon admitted.

"Me too," Raelyn said. They looked at each other.

"Five more minutes?" Macon offered.

"Merlin, yes, please," Raelyn conceded gratefully and let her head fall back onto his chest as her eyes closed.

"Brilliant," said Macon, pulling her tighter and sighing. Sleep came quickly for them both.

Segan woke them next. "What are you guys doing? We have class in fifteen minutes!"

Raelyn's hand went to her eyes and she rubbed them before looking at her friend. "Not happening," she said.

"Mmhmm," Macon agreed.

Segan heaved a sigh. "Get up! You can't be late! McGonagall will have your heads!" She entered the room and ripped the blankets from them. Instinctively they slid closer together for warmth, but it didn't help much.

"You're a bitch, Segan," Raelyn muttered, extracting herself and sliding off the mattress.

"You'll thank me later," Segan promised and added, "Wake him up." She left with a warning backwards glance.

Raelyn looked back at Macon, who was looking at her with his almost clear green eyes as he sucked thoughtfully at his lip ring.

"I'm gonna rip that thing out if you don't get up," Raelyn threatened him and was rewarded with a grin.

"I don't believe that for a second," Macon returned, but was moving to get up none the less. "You're the one who convinced me to get it. Said it was sexy, remember?" Macon reached for her and grazed her hip as she stepped away.

Raelyn laughed. "Yes, I remember. I'm going to brush my teeth and get some water. You better get up."

"I know, I know," Macon moaned, waving her away. She smiled and left, heading to her own room.

Stryder and Vanessa were dragging themselves down the hallway towards the stairs as well. Stryder was walking with a slightly limp and muttering "Never again" over and over. Vanessa's wand was at her temple while she whispered a headache relieving charm.

Once in her room she quickly brushed her teeth and hair and performed a quick _Scourgify _charm on herself before pulling on clean clothes. She snatched her bag up on her way out the door. Macon joined her in the hallway and they traipsed down the stairs and ran to McGonagall's carriage.

They were settling into their seats when McGonagall entered from her office, but came to an abrupt halt upon setting sight on the Slytherins. "My word, you lot look like you spent the night with a banshee," she said in reference to their varying degrees of distress.

"Pretty damn close," Seth muttered under his breath, to which Segan threw him a venomous look.

Raelyn and Macon looked at one another and shook their heads. If sleeping together hadn't cured them of their mutual animosity, what would?

**Author's Note** Well, there it is! Let me know what you think :)


	16. Chapter 13

**Author's Note** Hello everyone! Did everyone enjoy their St. Patrick's Day? Hopefully everyone lived to tell the tale. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Last Chapter** They were settling into their seats when McGonagall entered from her office, but came to an abrupt halt upon setting sight on the Slytherins. "My word, you lot look like you spent the night with a banshee," she said in lieu to their varying degrees of distress.

"Pretty damn close," Seth muttered under his breath, to which Segan threw him a venomous look.

Raelyn and Macon looked at one another and shook their heads. If sleeping together hadn't cured them of their mutual animosity, what would?

**Chapter 13**

As the days before Halloween passed, excitement spread like wildfire throughout the Durmstrang grounds. There was talk of the Tournament on the lips of every student and teacher. What would the tasks be? Who would be chosen? What was the prize? The Minster for Magic was coming? Would Harry Potter be present? He _had_ been the last person to win the tournament. Would everything go catastrophically wrong as it had last time?

Raelyn doubted anything would go _as_ wrong as it had before. The Dark Lord was dead and gone, his followers serving life terms in Azkaban, or at least what was left of them. Most had perished at the Battle of Hogwarts, her great-aunt Bellatrix among them. Her father had described his aunt as "mad and deranged". Even her grandfather had served a ten year sentence in Azkaban, as she'd found out in her third year. It certainly explained the presently tired, worn state of the once regal man she'd seen in pictures and why she had no memories of him early in her childhood. As for why he wasn't serving a life sentence? She'd been told Lucius hadn't fought in the final battle and had completely abandoned The Dark Lord in the end. Narcissa had even secured Harry Potter's safety, pronouncing him dead when he was not.

She was, however, quite curious about the tasks and prize. She knew the Tri-Wizard Cup would be awarded to the winner in accompaniment with an additional prize. The thought of the Hogwarts Champion always tightened her stomach into knots of excitement. What if it was her? Could she do it? But what if it wasn't her? The other houses had an equal stake in the running. She just hoped it wasn't Tofflemyer or Campbell. She'd overheard them a day or two ago whispering apprehensively about the Tournament and the possibility of them being chosen; as if the Goblet of Fire would choose tossers like them over more worthy candidates. Seth would do well. She'd never seen him back down from a challenge. Even Sora Danvers, a seventh year Gryffindor, wouldn't do badly, as reluctant as Raelyn was to admit it. She was a beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and had knocked Seth unconscious with a flying Bludger more than once.

Finally Halloween dawned cool, but sunny. As Raelyn showered and prepared for the day adrenaline pumped through her veins, regardless of the fact that the Champions would not be announced until after the feast that evening. Everyone seemed to be in a similar mood as she joined her fellow Slytherins in the common room. Everyone was smiling and giddy, talking loudly in excitement. Eventually they all grabbed their book bags and ventured to McGonagall's carriage. The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were already present and in similar spirits. Even McGonagall was waiting for them as opposed to being barricaded in her office.

Once the Ravenclaws arrived, she hushed everyone and made her announcement. "As you all know, tonight is the night the Champions will be drawn from the Goblet of Fire. I'm sure you are all quite excited about this, as am I. However, Professor Ianneillo has informed me that Durmstrang holds a bit of a celebration every Halloween. As the school is all boys, there isn't usually a dance, however this year the professor has secured a band to come perform and several entertainers as well. Only fifth years and older will be allowed to attend, which won't be a problem for any of you. Formal attire, please. I only ask that you behave yourselves and remember you are representing Hogwarts tonight _and_ tomorrow morning." With that she shot a sharp look at the Slytherin's. Clearly she hadn't forgotten last Friday when Stryder had heaved in the loo during History of Magic.

Everyone cheered the announcement of the party before being shushed by McGonagall and reminded they still had classes before the celebration. Reluctantly Raelyn placed the Movement Tuner in her ear and Professor Astair flickered to life informing them to get out their cauldrons and directing them to the correct page in their textbooks for instructions to brew an Amortentia Potion. They received a very stern warning against using it before Astair unleashed them.

The day dragged by torturously slowly. As Raelyn sat in Astronomy, convinced the day end bell would never come, it trilled loudly, startling her from her stupor.

"Thank, Merlin!" she murmured under her breath, extracting the Movement Tuner from her ear and dropping it into the front pocket of her book bag.

"I'm free!" exclaimed Lucas Landry from Gryffindor. Raelyn was in such high spirits over being done for the day that she chuckled along with the others.

As they were leaving McGonagall's carriage Seth appeared at Raelyn's side, a rare smile on his face. "So whose it gonna be, Malfoy? We're placing bets now."

Raelyn smiled back. It was rare to see her friend in such a good mood. "Hmm... Well it's safe to say it won't be you."

"Hey!" Seth rebuked, feigning offence, "I'll have you know I'd be a brilliant champion. I've got ten galleons on myself, in fact."

Raelyn choked out a laugh. "You would, wouldn't you?" she joked. "How do you lug around that huge ego of yours every day?"

Seth winked, flashing his teeth in a wider smile. "You'll see, Malfoy. So are you placing a bet or not?"

"Ten on Danvers," Raelyn stated firmly.

"A Gryffindor?" Seth spat, disgusted.

She winked, mimicking him, "You'll see Daryll."

He shook his head slowly. "It's your money, Malfoy. I'll see you at the feast."

"Where are you going?" she demanded.

Seth shrugged. "Places," he answered vaguely. Raelyn rolled her eyes. When she returned to the Syltherin carriage Macon was making his way down the stairs from the dormitories.

"Hey," he said, pausing on the stairs as she began to climb them.

"Hey," Raelyn returned with a smile as he fell into step beside her to her room. "Did you know they're placing bets on who the Champion will be?"

"Of course they are," Macon answered as Raelyn thrust the door to her room open and he followed her in.

"Who have you got money on?" Raelyn asked him.

Macon smiled softly. "I'm not a betting man, Raelyn, but if I were, I'd say... Tofflemyer."

Raelyn's head snapped up from where she was unloading her bag at her desk. "You're kidding!" she huffed in disbelief. Macon's response was a hearty laugh.

"Of course," he assured her, "I know how you feel about her and I value my life. Really, I haven't a clue who it'll be; should be interesting."

"Thank Merlin," Raelyn sighed, "I'd hate to have to murder one of my best friends."

Macon chuckled and asked, "Do you have any money on someone?"

"Ten galleons on Danvers," Raelyn answered, "Mostly to piss off Seth."

"Not a bad guess, though," Macon agreed nodding. They left Raelyn's room and continued down the stairs to the common room. It was empty.

"Seth wandered off, but what happened to Segan?" Raelyn asked Macon, who shrugged.

"I was about to ask you the same thing..."

"Rodney," they concluded at the same time. They sat down in companionable silence for a moment before Raelyn asked him what she'd been wondering since they'd arrived.

"Does it bother you?"

"Hmm?" Macon asked, tearing his eyes away from the crackling fire where they'd formerly been resting, entranced.

"Segan... Being off with Rodney all the time. Does it bother you?" Raelyn repeated.

Macon tilted his head to the side a bit and sighed. "Does it bother you that Seth's probably banging a Beauxbatons girl silly right now?"

Raelyn thought for a moment. "No, not really. That's just Seth."

Macon smiled slowly. "Well that's just Segan. Got a date for the celebration tonight?"

Raelyn laughed. "Are you making me your Segan replacement?"

"No, I'm making me your Seth replacement," Macon quipped with a grin.

"We both know you're better than Seth, Macon," Raelyn chuckled.

"Then I can just be Macon and you can just be Raelyn and we'll have a brilliant time. Get really drunk. No Firewhiskey, I promise." Macon winked and Raelyn gagged.

"Well as long as there's no Firewhiskey..."

"No Firewhiskey," Macon promised again.

"Then I see no reason why not."

"Wonderful! Feast is in an hour. I'm going to take a shower," Macon declared and with that he rose and stalked off. Raelyn laughed and shook her head after him. She loved when Macon was in one of those quirky moods. She sat a moment longer before retracing Macon's steps and going to shower in her own room.

**Author's Note** So what does everyone think? Who will it be? Drop me a review and let me know :) Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 14

**Author****'s Note** Hey everyone! Thanks for the four reviews from the last chapter! I'm just going to reply to one anonymous review and then we'll get on with the show...

_ThatRandomGirl_ It pleases me immensely that you've enjoyed my story so far! I have no plans of abandoning it, but sometimes the updates are slow going. I didn't know what to make the pairing, really, since it's all original characters, so I just went to Hermione/Draco 'cause Realyn is their daughter and they're my favourite pairing. Thanks so much for your review and I hope I continue to entertain you! :D

**Last Chapter** "Wonderful! Feast is in an hour. I'm going to take a shower," Macon declared and with that he rose and stalked off. Raelyn laughed and shook her head after him. She loved when Macon was in one of those quirky moods. She sat a moment longer before retracing Macon's steps and going to shower in her own room.

**Chapter 14**

An hour later found Raelyn putting the finishing touches on her makeup when Macon knocked on her door. When she answered the door Macon wolf whistled.

"You look good enough to eat," he joked, stepping in while Raelyn scurried around gathering her shoes and jacket. She wore a simple black dress accented with white gold jewellery and silver heels.

"Thank you, Macon," she said graciously. "We ready to go?"

"Whenever you are, love," Macon agreed, holding out his arm to her. She took it and they headed to the school.

They were saved the mercy of the bitterly cold wind on their trek up to the castle; the air was cool but still. All the Durmstrang cabins had lit Jack-o-lanterns on their porches lighting their way to the castle above them. Inside the warmth of the castle a magically enlarged Jack-o-lantern guarded the entrance to the Dining Hall. Its jagged mouth had replaced the doorway and its eyes glowed sinisterly in the otherwise darkened Hall. The noise of the feast spilled from within, bidding they enter. As they passed through Raelyn glanced up at the pumpkin's pointed teeth and could have sworn she heard it cackle at her.

Within, a man in a top hat and orange vest greeted them.

"Good evenin'," he growled, sweeping a bow and, with an intricate flourish of his hand, producing a black rose for Raelyn.

"Thank you," Raelyn said, accepting it from him carefully. It glittered sinfully in the candlelight.

"Beware the thorns, m'dear," the man warned and smiled with a mouth full of sharp pointy teeth. Shock jarred Raelyn's mind but she kept her composure and smiled back as Macon led her away.

Above them more Jack-o-lanterns levitated and lit the tables, which had been pushed to the sides to clear the centre of the room for the performers. And the performers – they were a sight to see.

There were fire breathers, stilt walkers, and jugglers. Booths lining the walls advertised face painting, a menagerie, a boggart, and a haunted house. It was similar to a Muggle Halloween, but so much better because it was all real. The stilt walkers heads had been magically transfigured into Jack-o-lanterns. They looked down on the students with empty glowing eyes as their slashed mouths formed words. The fire breathers spouted flames in the shapes of dragons and griffins and snakes. The jugglers juggled ever transfiguring items; one second it would be bowling pins, the next cleavers, and the next flaming torches. Raelyn took it all in with wide eyes as Macon led her to an empty table.

"Pretty fantastic, huh?" he said, holding out a chair for her.

"It's brilliant," Raelyn agreed vehemently, finally tearing her eyes from the scene before her to look at Macon.

"What would you like to do first?" he asked her, glancing around himself.

"Eat," replied Raelyn eagerly, "I'm famished!" Macon smiled at her and she glanced down at her empty plate with disappointment. "How _do_ we eat?"

Before Macon had the chance to reply a body thumped down beside her. Turning her head, she discovered Segan beside her.

"I'm starving!" the dark haired girl proclaimed. "What's for dinner?"

A chuckle on Segan's other side had Raelyn stretching to set eyes on Rodney. "'Vatever you'd like, Segan," he answered, plucking the standing leather booklet from the centre of the table and handing it to her. No more than a second passed before an identical menu popped up in its place, which Rodney laid before Raelyn. She thanked him as Rodney continued to lay menus before Macon and himself.

She began to scour the menu in front of her. Salads, breads, side dishes, meats, and fish filled the first four pages, every item sounding delectable to Raelyn's churning stomach. The fifth page listed beverages, wine, champagne, beer, and other alcoholic beverages mixed in amongst the regular Hogwarts-approved drinks. On the last page was a selection of delicious sounding desserts including, of course, pumpkin pie.

"I want everything!" Segan enthused, voicing Raelyn's thoughts exactly.

"You can hafe it," Rodney promised her with a smile. Segan smiled back at him over her menu and they were almost cute enough to make Raelyn retch. She snuck a glance at Macon over her own menu. He caught her looking and rolled his eyes subtly. Raelyn stifled a laugh.

"I think I'm going to have the steak," he announced to them.

"My thoughts exactly," Rodney agreed. "Ladies?"

Raelyn glanced back down at the page. "The roast lamb, I think," she answered. "With a glass of red wine."

"Getting into the good stuff, hmm?" Macon teased her.

"You promised me inebriation," she reminded him.

Rodney laughed heartily as Macon grinned wickedly. "I suppose I did, didn't I?"

Raelyn nodded in confirmation and Segan giggled, "Some wine would be fabulous, actually. And I think I'll have the roast pheasant. I've never tried that before. So how does this work, Rodney?"

"Press your vand to your choices and they shall appear," he explained, withdrawing his wand himself. Raelyn followed his example as did Macon and Segan. The moment she replaced her menu in the centre of the table her plates and glasses filled. The rich red of the wine filled up one glass and clear ice water filled the other. The steaming roast lamb appeared on her plate looking just as she'd imagined, with rice and salad. The aroma wafted up to her nose and she inhaled appreciatively as her stomach gave a demanding grumble.

"This looks exquisite!" Segan gushed happily, raising her fork and knife and digging in.

"Good enough to eat, for sure," Macon agreed and Raelyn smiled. Her first bite of lamb was delicious and she savoured it for as long as she dared. Segan announced Rodney had been showing her around the grounds and castle and the conversation progressed from there. Dinner was delicious and Raelyn had the pumpkin pie for dessert, which was as magnificent as she'd hoped it would be.

As they finished up dessert Seth appeared at Segan's side, a blond Beauxbatons girl in tow.

"I've been looking for you all night," he said to Raelyn and Macon, completely ignoring Segan. She was deep in conversation with Rodney regardless and didn't even notice the appearance of the dark haired boy.

"We've been here," Macon answered. "Did you sit with the Beauxbatons girls?"

"Sort of. This is Evony," Seth introduced his date, tugging her forward. The girl smiled and waved shyly. Seth continued, "We sat with a friend of hers and the Durmstrang boy she had as her date."

"Vell vould you like to take a seat? Ve are done eating," Rodney offered, cluing into the conversation.

"We'd love to, thank you," Seth accepted, pulling out a chair for Evony. Seth was capable of manners when he was hoping to get laid.

Just then, the lights dimmed and the dais lit up as Ianneillo stood and spread his arms wide. "Good evening students," he boomed, "and Happy Halloween!" The students echoed the greeting and Ianneillo continued. "I hope everyone enjoyed the feast and the performers and attractions. Don't worry, they aren't going anywhere, but the time has come to announce our Triwizard Champions!"

The crowd roared with appreciation as the giant Jack-o-lantern guarding the entrance flared whitish-blue with the glow of the Goblet of Fire as it was brought forth by Mr Small. The pedestal was placed atop the dais before Ianneillo and the Goblet placed upon it. McGonagall and Eunomie had joined him behind the Goblet.

"When each Champion's name is called, we ask that you come up here and continue on through the door on the left of the dais, here." He indicated a closed door at the very end of the professors table. "Now, for our Champions..."

The Hall had fallen silent as everyone gazed at the flames with bated breath. The tension was palpable and the crowd breathed a collective gasp as, with a hiss, the flames turned red and spat out a slightly charred piece of parchment.

Ianneillo snatched the paper from the air before it fluttered to the ground. "Representing our very own Durmstrang Institute is..." he announced, voice carrying easily across the vast Hall, "Rodney Dimitrov!" The Hall exploded with cheers and shouts and the sparks from wands being shot into the air in celebration.

"I didn't know you'd entered!" Segan exclaimed, her hand flying to the boy's arm as he rose, beaming.

"Vell of course I did, darling," Rodney answered, taking her hand from his arm and dropping a kiss on it before releasing her. "If you vill excuse me," he said to the table at large with a lingering look at Segan. Raelyn watched him ascend the dais and shake McGonagall's and Eunomie's hands, followed by his own Headmaster's. He accepted his charred piece of parchment before turning to face the crowd which, if possible, grew louder. Finally, with a bow he back pedalled to the door and disappeared behind it. The cheers died out after that, but Segan's beaming smile remained as Ianneillo quieted the students.

"We still have two more Champions to announce!" he reminded them and everyone gradually fell silent once again. As if on cue, the Goblet of Fire flared red once more and a second piece of parchment was expelled from the flames.

A smile lit Ianneillo's face as he recited, "Representing the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is... Evony Laroche!" Raelyn's eyes shot to the blond girl at Seth's side, who was sitting with a shocked look on her pretty face.

Screams and cheers reverberated in Raelyn's ears as the Beauxbatons girls celebrated jubilantly with mixed in applause and cheers from the other schools. She thought her ears may bleed. It was nothing compared to the reaction Rodney had gotten, but this was not, after all, Beauxbatons. Instantly, Seth's date was surrounded by her school-mates and ushered onto the dais. Raelyn caught a glimpse of the dumbfounded look on Seth's face as his date was whisked away. After a moment he recovered enough to shake his head and resume his initial smooth facade.

Evony followed the same steps as Rodney, disappearing behind the door. Raelyn's heart started to pound as the door shut behind the blond girl. This was it! Hogwarts was the only school left. She could potentially be representing her school as Triwizard Champion! As the hall fell silent again in anticipation, she was sure everyone around her could hear the blood pounding in her ears and she almost choked when the Goblet's flames turned red and a final piece of parchment erupted from the cup and was snatched up by Ianneillo.

Realyn held her breath as the Headmaster announced, "And last, but not least, representing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is..."

**Author's Note** Place your bets ladies and gents! Who'll it be? Raelyn? Seth? Sara? Maybe that repulsive Kiera Tofflemyer? I want to hear your thoughts on this one! Let me know in a review!


	18. Chapter 15

**Author****'s Note** Here's the next chapter! I hope everyone enjoys!

**Last Chapter** This was it! Hogwarts was the only school left. She could potentially be representing her school as Triwizard Champion! As the hall fell silent again in anticipation, she was sure everyone around her could hear the blood pounding in her ears and she almost choked when the Goblet's flames turned red and a final piece of parchment erupted from the cup and was snatched up by Ianneillo.

**Chapter 15**

Realyn held her breath as the Headmaster announced, "And last, but not least, representing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is... Macon Destry!" The Slytherins in the room erupted into bedlam, joined next by the polite cheers and applause from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and then finally by the reluctant applause of their sombre faced school-mates. A Slytherin Champion? Raelyn was ecstatic, but she could only imagine how the other houses were feeling. It was unheard of!

Segan had managed to scramble around the table to where Macon was seated and was hugging the tall boy around the neck tightly, gushing excitedly.

"I can't believe it's you Macon! Congratulations! I'm so excited! I just can't believe it's you! Ahhhhh!" Her enthusiasm could not be contained or restrained and Macon's face was turning blue from lack of oxygen.

"Segan, you're choking him," Seth warned, voicing Raelyn's thoughts exactly.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry Macon! Are you okay?"

Macon, coughing, replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, Segan. I'm glad you're so excited, but I really do need to go." He motioned towards the dais where Ianneillo stood expectantly, scanning the crowd for the Hogwarts Champion. Beside him McGonagall looked smugly satisfied. As with the previous contestants, Macon crossed the stage to the door and disappeared inside.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, please continue to enjoy the festivities. Your Champions will be returned to you shortly, I promise," Ianneillo assured them and with that he spun on his heel and led the other school heads through the door as well.

"I can't believe Macon's our Champion!" Segan exclaimed, still blown away by the announcement. "And Rodney is Durmstrang's! Oh, this is fantastic, isn't it!"

Raelyn wasn't sure who she was talking to in particular, but she answered anyways because she knew Seth wouldn't. "It's brilliant," she agreed. She couldn't believe it herself!

"Can you believe it, mate?" Stryder and Vanessa had appeared at Seth's side, Stryder slapping Seth companionably on the shoulder.

"I really can't," Seth agreed with a far off look in his eyes. "_My_ _date_ is the Beauxbatons Champion? What the _fuck_?"

"I'm talking about Macon, but you're date was a looker, too, mate," Stryder assured him, nodding. "Tiny little thing though, isn't she?" Seth seemed to have stopped listening and had resorted to shaking his head back and forth, back and forth. Raelyn turned her attention elsewhere.

"Well, while we're waiting who'd like to check out the haunted house?" she invited her table mates.

Segan bounced up and down in her seat. "Oooh, I do! Should be good for a laugh, right?"

"We'll come too," Stryder agreed, looking down at Vanessa, who nodded. Seth remained at the table as his companions vanished, clearly still in shock over the whole situation.

The haunted house was spectacularly frightening! The small booth shown to the Dining Hall was magically enlarged on the inside to encompass a mansion complete with three floors, numerous rooms, and every frightening creature one could dream up. Illusions and charms snagged victims at every turn, wizards and witches with magically transfigured body parts, both gruesome and horrifying, launched themselves at the students the second they turned to run. Segan screamed nearly the entire time and even Raelyn had to admit she was surprised she had made it out without having a heart attack. By the time they'd emerged Seth had disappeared into a group of boozing Durmstrang boys.

Segan dragged Raelyn to the face painting booth next, and that was where Macon found them.

"Macon!" Segan yelled, leaping from the stool where she was having her face painted like a tiger. The artist, startled, left a long black mark across the girl's cheek. Shaking her head, she scowled at Segan as she called the next student forward.

"What happened? What did they say? When's the first task? Are you scared?" Segan pounded Macon with a rapid volley of questions, never giving him enough time to answer. Macon, in his usual good-natured fashion, only laughed and waved her towards the table where Rodney was already seated surrounded by Durmstrang boys, with a promise to tell her all about it. Segan, however, took off the moment she saw Rodney.

Macon turned his smiling face on Raelyn. "Coming?" he asked, offering his arm.

"Why, thank you," Raelyn said and took his arm. He led her back to the table, where he and Rodney proceeded to tell them the whole story. A crowd had gathered around them, hanging on the boys' every word, the tense excitement in the air was tangible.

The school heads had followed them into the antechamber where they explained how the Tournament worked. There would be three tasks, during which their performance would be scored by five judges including the heads of the three schools, the Minister of Magic himself, and the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. They were given no hints as to what the first task would be, only that it would be held on the winter solstice - December 21st. Before the first task, however, it was customary to hold a weighing of the wands, in which each Champion's wand would be examined by Mr Ollivander. This would take place in two weeks time. A prize of one thousand galleons would go to the winner of the Triwizard Cup, as well as the accompanying glory.

Just as they'd finished recounting the events in the antechamber Ianneillo stood and the room fell quiet. "Well, now that I'm sure you've all been filled in, I propose a toast!" the headmaster offered, raising his goblet. "Here's to the cooperation of our schools, the good times to come, and our very own Triwizard Champions! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Raelyn echoed with the rest of the hall and drank deeply from her goblet. Over the rim of her cup she saw Seth at a nearby table drain his goblet and reach for a jug to refill it. He was going to hate himself in the morning. The hall filled with the clamour of voices and music once more and Raelyn found herself looking back at Macon. He was watching Segan interact animatedly with Rodney a couple seats away. He must have felt her gaze on him because he turned his head to smile at her.

"So is there sex at the end of this night?" he joked with her, draping his arm across the back of her chair.

Raelyn laughed and decided not to mention Segan and Rodney. "I doubt it, but I won't stop you from trying," she retorted.

"But I'm the Hogwarts Champion!" Macon protested, leaning towards her, his almost clear green eyes dancing.

"Which is why I won't stop you from trying," Raelyn agreed.

"Well, it's worth a shot! Here, drink more," Macon encouraged, glancing into a nearby jug and topping up both their goblets. Raelyn grinned at her friend and took the offered drink.

Their tables rose up into the air and repositioned themselves along the walls, half of them magically filling with desserts and warm beverages burning with the bite of liquor. The chairs cleared to join the unburdened tables as people rose from them to join the throng of moving bodies on the dance floor. The performers packed up and cleared out, but the booths remained.

"Would you like to dance?" Macon invited. Raelyn nodded and took his offered hand, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor. He glided, spun, and dipped her for a few songs before they bumped into Seth and Evony. Seth's eyes shone with the tell tale signs of alcohol consumption, but he was as graceful as usual. When the music changed they switched partners and Macon traded Raelyn to Seth, whisking Evony away happily, the alcohol amplifying his mood as well. Seth took Raelyn's hand in his and pulled her close.

"Recovering from the shock, I see?" Raelyn joked, referring to his disbelief that his date was the Beauxbatons Champion.

"Barely," he replied dryly, "The wine helps."

Raelyn laughed as well, "I'm sure the Firewhiskey does too. The amount of alcohol here, you'd think the teachers are _trying_ to get us drunk!"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Seth agreed.

A few moments passed in comfortable silence before Raelyn broke it. "Are you happy for Macon?" she asked Seth. She never could be sure with her friend. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it and he had wanted to be Champion – they all had.

The silence that followed was almost enough to convince her she was right, but he surprised her by saying, "Yeah, actually, I am. I wanted it, you know I did, but so did you; we all did. But Macon will do well, I think. I trust him to make us all proud. And at least it wasn't one of those bloody Gryffindors!" Raelyn laughed as she followed his burning glance to a group of said classmates dancing a couple yards away.

"Well good," she agreed, "I'm happy for him too."

The rest of the night passed in a blur of music and dancing, drinking and magic. The alcohol burned through Raelyn's veins and the rest of the student population was in similar spirit. Finally the booths began to close up and the band announced their last song. The staff table was looking emptier, only the heads and a few teachers remaining. Raelyn said goodbye to the Durmstrang boy she'd been dancing with and made her way through the crowd to the table they'd claimed. Macon sat there with Stryder and Vanessa, however Seth and Segan were absent.

"Hey," Macon greeted Raelyn warmly, holding out an arm. Raelyn stepped into his embrace and he drew her down onto his knee. She glanced over at the other pair, both of whom were sleepily getting to their feet.

"We'll see you back in the carriage," Stryder promised, slapping Macon on the shoulder as he and Vanessa passed.

"We should go too," Raelyn murmured as she watched them go.

"Mmhmm," Macon sighed, resting his forehead against her shoulder.

"Did Segan and Seth already go back?" she asked. She felt Macon shrug and she looked down at him. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried.

"Yeah," Macon assured her and raised his head to smile at her, "Just a little drunk. Let's go."

They collected their things and left the dining hall. A few stragglers were left hanging around the entrance hall and on the steps of the castle. There was still no wind outside, and with the alcohol still coursing through her body, the walk back to the carriages was almost cozy. Students were still grouped on some of the cabin porches, the jack-o-lanterns still burning brightly, the students still drinking. Laughter followed them to the circle of carriages, the bon fire in the centre burning welcomingly. Light shone through the Slytherin carriage window, bidding they enter its warmth. They climbed through the door and started up the stairs

"G'night, Macon," Raelyn bid her friend as they came to his door.

"Nuh uh," he disagreed, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. They tumbled through his door, landing on the floor in a tangle of limbs. Macon began to laugh and Raelyn couldn't help but join him. They lay side by side for some time in the wedge of light illuminating Macon's dark room from the open door. Finally, Raelyn struggled into a sitting position.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Macon demanded teasingly.

"To my bed," Raelyn retorted, starting to push herself to her feet.

"I don't think so," Macon laughed, grabbing her around the waist and rolling over her ungracefully, kicking the door shut. He had her pinned to the floor facedown, one knee on either side of her.

"Seriously, Macon," Raelyn sighed, struggling to flip over. He rolled to her side and propped himself up with one elbow, his free hand resting on her hip.

"Stay," he whispered.

"Macon-"

"Please."

Raelyn searched his face in the moonlight spilling through the window. "Alright," she agreed, nodding. His mouth quirked up at the corner and he got to his feet, helping her up once he was righted.

"I'm just going to go get my pyjamas," Raelyn said, but Macon shook his head.

"Don't bother, here." He opened his trunk and dug out a t-shirt and clean pair of boxers. "You can go change in the bathroom if you want to." Raelyn accepted the clothes from him and went to change. When she came back out Macon was already in his bed. She slid in beside him and he pulled her back against his bare chest.

"I don't know why you wouldn't just let me get my pyjamas," she protested once more. She heard him sigh and he squeezed her slightly.

"I like it when you and Segan wear my clothes. I don't bother washing them before I wear them 'cause I like how you smell," he admitted.

Raelyn laughed out loud and said, "I feel like I should be creeped out."

He chuckled into her hair, "Feel however you like, I'm going to do it anyways."

She laughed again and settled against him, getting comfortable. A minute passed before Raelyn whispered softly, "Congratulations on tonight, Macon."

He laced his fingers through hers. "Thanks Rae," he murmured.

**Author****'s Note** So what did everyone think of this chapter? No one guessed Macon in the reviews I received so I'd love to hear everyone's feedback! Thanks for reading!


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